Symbiosis
by Kutsu
Summary: Interdependence. It was as simple as that. Regardless of emotions, of choice, they needed each other to survive. Narusasu.
1. Prologue

**I had sworn to myself I would never start posting a fic before I was finished typing it down. I had. But good resolutions never last, so here you go.  
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**Disclaimer: If the likes of me could own Naruto, we'd be several thousand people trying to rip each other off to gain that right. So no, it still isn't mine. Sigh...**

**Warning: If the slightest sight of blood makes you go all faint, than this fiction isn't for you. I'm not a psychopath -okay, I am a psychopath, though not when I write- but this is a vampirefic, people. There's a real need here.**

**Oh, and this fic will contain yaoi.  
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**Enjoy.  
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**Prologue**

_"Nunquam lamiae morde me dice. - Never say 'Bite me' to a vampire."_

"Symbiosis; from the geek _syn_, meaning 'together', and _biosis_, life. The living together of unlike organisms. Or so is the definition given to you by Heinrich Anton de Bary, German mycologist, in 1879. Who can give me example of symbiotic species?"

Several hands rose into the air, but some students didn't bother.

"Clown fish and anemones!" Inuzuka Kiba was as loud as always. I looked away, vaguely hoping the noise he made would vanish with his face. Biology class had barely started, and I braced myself for the long hour I would endure with the loudmouth, cursing the administration for putting me with such mind-abusing fools.

Next to me, Hyuuga Neji sighed, echoing my thoughts. "Too bad the course is worth it," he told me in an inaudible murmur. "What a pain. I don't see what Hinata sees in him."

I had been asking myself the same question. Hinata was Neji's timid sister, and her shyness was such that I had never managed to hear her articulate a single sentence without stuttering. And yet, despite her timidity, she seemed to appreciate Kiba.

"Alright, the clownfish. Now that's what you call mutualism; both species derive a benefit. You also have commensalism, where only one of the two individuals will gain something, without harming its 'host'. And parasitism." He did not need to explain the last part.

Neji elbowed me, a slight smile on his lips as he took notes. "I'm guessing your case is the third one," he suggested quietly.

I shrugged, ignoring the remark. Arguing with a member of the Hyuuga clan was pointless; they'd smile and agree while affirming the opposite opinion once you were finished. And I was not in a good enough mood to stand this behavior.

"You're visiting him today, right?"

I nodded wordlessly. Neji sighed, knowing how much I disliked talking in public, and the reason for it. Should my lips part, I would inevitably become the subject to pointless conversations with any girl in a ten-meter radius. And somehow said conversations would stretch until the bell rang. My head pounded just to think about it.

The Hyuuga noticed me rubbing my temple. "With enough luck you'll be fit tomorrow," he said. "That headache of yours will be gone."

Looking at my notes I sighed, wishing he were right. The pain had been constant since the beginning of term. I waited until the end of class to answer. Once we were safely hidden away from female view, I finally opened my mouth.

"Dr. Hatake told me not to bet on it. Apparently the guy's stubborn."

"I don't see how different it can be," Neji replied with a shrug. "Good luck though."

I nodded, and headed towards the end of the hall. The University of Konoha was known for the fact that it was linked to one of the most prestigious hospital of the country; here were treated the most serious cases of diseases; the study of bacteria, the innovations of new medical serums and techniques were linked to this place, and college students benefited directly from it.

The wall switched from sky blue to the traditional white proper to any hospital, and students brutally vanished, replaced by doctors and interns, then patients, as I walked further on. My destination was located at the far end of the building, where Dr. Hatake, whom I had never met, waited.

I felt my pulse accelerate, and I forced myself to ease my breathing. But as I kept advancing, I soon realized that it was pointless. Stopping dead in my tracks, I inhaled deeply, and steadied my nerve-wrecked body. I despised this lack of control. Instincts dictated by memory alone demanded that I turn heels. But another part of me required me to continue. It was only once I had my body completely under control that I walked down the hall.

You could say my apprehension was normal. That my basic human instincts were surfacing in order to keep me away from danger my brain had refused to register. Somehow I wondered if I wasn't just mad. Or too curious for my own good.

I, Uchiha Sasuke, was about to meet a vampire.

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**FOR THE TWILIGHT HATERS: I couldn't resist, forgive me. Hopefully I've dealt with the cringe-worthy part of Stephenie Meyer's novel. I'm too lazy to explain what I'm talking about or how I fixed it, so if you're really curious, check my profile. Or keep reading, your choice.**

**I won't mind reviews at all, anytime, from anywhere.  
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	2. Starvation

**Disclaimer:**** Don't own. Really, I don't.**

**And we begin. **

**Just to warn you, POV's will be switched in each chapter. If I'm not lazy -and let me assure you there's a high risk that I will be- I'll post the fic on , as to insert a pointless smutty chapter I probably won't be uploading here. So I'll warn you when two consecutive chapters have the same narrator. Aren't I nice.**

**Enjoy...  
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Starvation**

When you're hungry, you really need a good reason to stop listening to your instincts, and not jump over the first nourishing item that comes across your path. But when said food also is what you happened to be not that long ago, you usually reconsider.

Name: Uzumaki Naruto. Profession: vampire. And let me assure you, it's a full-time job.

I guess you can call me a traitor to my race; I revealed my existence to humans, let them make all sorts of experiments on my body, in exchange of protection. From myself. So technically, I don't really care what my 'comrades' call me. And I don't think they bother about me anyways; strangely enough, I wasn't broadcast around the world or anything. The medias can't go anywhere near the hospital where they keep me. So only the docs know I exist. Them, and my blood donor.

I looked up as the door that kept me trapped inside my room beeped, announcing me someone had punched in the code, allowing the metallic frame to open. The perverted doc, Hatake Kakashi, entered with a dark-haired guy I had never seen.

I could see him distinctly from the bed on which I sat. The room's light was dim, to my liking, and neither human had gotten used to it yet. This gave me the occasion to observe the newcomer without him noticing it. His hair was coal black, straight and silk-like. I had no trouble distinguishing individual strands of hair, noting they were much thinner than average, significantly more than mine. His skin was abnormally pale, which surprised me; wasn't he the one taking some sun in on a daily basis? Even the pervert was several shades darker.

He wore clothes I suspected were normal for someone his age; black t-shirt, dark blue jeans, black shoes, all arranged neatly upon his features, and of course diffusing the usual smell that indicated they had gone through the sterilizing laundry system. His face was expressionless, and his breathing –from what I could hear- was normal. Then the smell hit me.

I twitched, faintly enough so that neither of them noticed. He had taken the usual showers in order to reach the sterilized section. But no human on earth could even hope to remove his smell enough to fool my nose. And what flared inside my nostrils was no different from the taste of the blood I swallowed every day.

Forcing myself to stay casual, I leaned down to the small fridge, assuring myself I was securely fastened to the bed before throwing the keys to the pervert. He caught them and I opened the door, grabbing one of my blood cans. My stomach grumbled as the guy sat down, sending another wave of smell straight to my nose. Rapidly, I opened the can, and leaned back against the wall.

"I'd offer you something, but I don't have anything suitable for humans here," I told him with an apologizing shrug. "Mind if I take a sip?"

His shoulders rose and lowered, and I did not delay any longer. After what my nose had announced, my mouth was thoroughly disappointed. I kept myself from grimacing, and observed my donor. He stared at me without the slightest hint of fear. If anything, he looked reassured by my looks. Well that was a first. Usually people, aside for the pervert (whom nothing scared, I swear), couldn't stand staying in the same room as me. Especially within such a short distance. I met his eyes, staring into the darkest pits I had ever encountered.

His irises weren't dark brown, as I had first assumed; my eyes would never have been fooled. They were coal black, as dark as his hair, and suddenly denied of emotion. I knew my own eyes were normal looking, for the moment, not at all intimidating. Nevertheless I stared back at him, refusing to lower my gaze.

"Kit, this Uchiha Sasuke." Of course, the pervert didn't allow our staring contest to continue much longer. "Sasuke, Uzumaki Naruto. Need I explain his nature in a detailed manner?"

Without looking away, the human gave a slight shake of his head. The pervert sat down next to him, and suddenly a thin smile spread on the guy's face. He extended a polite hand, but I waved it away. "I'd rather not see you take any risks," I told him. "I nearly tore someone's arm out once."

He shrugged, pulling back and looking away with contempt. Although I had no idea what made him so happy, I supposed the pervert had found a new way to experiment on my body, which would likely include this Uchiha guy.

"Let's get into the subject, shall we?" The pervert's smile was anything but reassuring, sending several of my internal alarms off. I felt my body shiver nervously, wondering what would be expected of me this time. "Sasuke, if you don't mind, I'll explain the situation."

A wordless nod. Was he mute? The pervert did not allow me to ponder the issue as he besieged me with an avalanche of information.

It took half an hour, along with three additional blood cans to get everything straight. By then, both humans' positions had relaxed, and my donor looked slightly bored. I was another story.

"So" –I took what seemed like the hundredth gulp- "you're telling me his body reacted to the blood loss?"

"By producing more. We take two to three blood samples each day now," the doc told me. "His tension is pretty high, and he suffers from headaches due to the excessive blood circulating in his brain."

"And the blood sampling doesn't work?"

"It did. But we're beginning to have trouble."

"How?"

My donor sighed, and pulled back his sleeves. I immediately understood what he wanted to show me; his muscles were tense, and his skin was rigid from wrist to elbow.

"Most of my body's like that. The doctors have trouble inserting the needles in the main arteries."

So he could talk. I smiled sarcastically. "And you think I can do any better?"

"You've proved that," the pervert interjected. "Sakura wore a watch when you attacked her, remember? Your teeth went through the steel without any problem. And there weren't any traces of bites on her skin, once we got all the blood off."

I looked away angrily. "That doesn't mean I didn't scare the shit out of her."

"You did. But Sasuke here knows what to expect."

I turned back to glare at the silver-haired man. "He's not supposed to expect anything!" I suddenly shouted. "No wounds doesn't mean it's not gonna hurt!"

I could feel my anger rising to a few additional notches as the teen in front of me actually smirked. "Glad to see you care about your victims," he said mockingly.

"Keep talking, and you won't stay my donor for long." I had trouble keeping anger away from my voice. But the Uchiha ignored my warning.

"Like you could stop feeding on my blood." He leaned back tauntingly, crossing his arms. Defiance emanated from every inch of his body. Along that went his smell, which forced me to cover my nose, making him smirk.

"I wouldn't wait for the blood packs," came my growled reply.

He sighed, and leaned back, satisfied with something I didn't understand. "That's exactly what I'm asking you."

I glared at him. "I know what you're asking me," I growled. "What I don't get is why."

Contempt was replaced with scorn. "It'll save me a lot of trouble if you drink directly from my body," he said slowly. "And Dr. Hatake explained how you seemed to obviously prefer this method."

"Don't say that. You sound as perverted as he does."

He frowned, but said pervert got to his feet before my donor could start asking questions. "Well, Sasuke, I'm afraid, my presence not being strictly required, that I'm going to take my leave. Everything I'll say will only make things worse. Good luck." He winked at me, and ruffled the guy's hair. From the look Sasuke gave the pervert, Kakashi had narrowly avoided having his hand wrenched off his wrist. But the doctor did not seem intimidated by the dark glare. Still smiling, he dropped the keys I had handed him into the younger man's lap and left.

We stayed silent for a few seconds. Then Sasuke turned towards me, lifting the keys. "What are these?"

Wordlessly, I lifted my left arm, revealing the chains that tied me to my bed. "I don't want any more accidents."

"They're treating you like an animal," he said in a disgusted tone. His coal black eyes seemed revolted.

"I asked for this," I snapped. "You haven't seen me lose control yet."

"Don't you have any dignity?"

"Not if it means hurting people." I glared at him, doing my best to ignore the overpowering smell that flared in my nostrils.

"Hurting people?" He snorted, then suddenly glared up at me. "The doctors now need several minutes to get the needles into my skin. They've actually tried cutting it open, but even that took time. Once they do get into my veins, it's fifteen minutes of sucking out my blood, and since I have too much, it usually leaks past the needle, which is why I need to change before the operations, since I get blood all over the place. And soon they'll have no choice but to keep me here with a tube permanently sticking out of my arm. How's that for pain?"

I stared at him, speechless.

"I'd rather have to come here twice a day, have a decent conversation with a vampire, know he's satisfied-"

"I am," I interrupted. "Satisfied."

He raised a sarcastic eyebrow. "Really? You still look thirsty to me." Again his eyes darkened. "You've been emptying your fridge ever since your nose caught old of my scent." Drat. He had noticed. "What if I took those cans away?" He got to his feet, and was immediately halted by my outstretched legs.

"Don't you dare." My own voice was but a low growl. "If I get thirsty I won't be able to control myself, and neither of us want you dead."

"So why can't you try now?" he asked pushing back his sleeve and offering me his wrist. I pushed it away angrily.

"You won't make me," I said through gritted teeth. His smell, now that he was closer was even harder to ignore. "I can't do this, so stop it." As an afterthought, I added, "I don't like the wrist anyways."

"Steel doesn't suit you?" Again, the tone was mocking. But at least he pulled his arm away.

"Shut up." I looked away, avoiding his gaze. My stomach grumbled, and I prayed all the divinities above that the human in front of me wouldn't hear.

"Or maybe" –his voice was much closer now- "There isn't enough blood for you in those veins."

I turned back, and immediately realized my mistake. Sasuke had gotten closer alright. He was leaning over me, so that the first thing I noticed was the pale, exposed skin of his neck. And right after that, my eyes immediately fell upon is pulse. I flattened myself against the wall, bringing my knees up in order to keep him away.

"You bastard!" I cried angrily, clutching my fists in a desperate attempt to stay in control. "Get off me!"

He frowned down at me. "I'd appreciate it if you used less vulgar vocabulary," he remarked quietly, apparently unbothered by the fact that I had begun to shake.

"I'll call you what the hell I want! Now get off before I do something we're gonna regret!" I was trashing, and it was only thanks to my enhanced hearing that I heard his reply.

"Then I'll stay right here." His voice was dry. "Say what you want? I'll do what I want."

I stopped kicking, and decided to consider his proposition. That or I'd snap eventually. Quickly scanning through my vocabulary, I desperately searched for some kind of polite insult I could use. "What about teme?" I asked. "Would that be 'less vulgar'?"

He stared at me for several seconds, and I gave an insisting push on his abs. Finally he sighed. "I suppose it could."

"Good. Now get off."

Reluctantly he obeyed. "Why did you say you couldn't?"

"I'm not telling you."

"Why not?"

"It's my business," I snapped, stretching my legs out in order to keep him from approaching me again.

"You're ruining my life."

"Not my problem. You still need to get rid of all that blood. And I'll be drinking it."

"Dobe." Sighing, he threw me two plastic packs filled with blood. "They're from half an hour ago. Drink up."

I immediately discarded my current can, and opened the first pack, emptying its contents into my mouth with unhidden pleasure. The teme watched me, amused, but I didn't give a damn. His blood was good enough. The second pack was emptied just as fast, and I finally returned to my senses. "Sorry for the show," I mumbled, blushing slightly.

He smirked. "It was entertaining. Although you still look like you're starving."

"I said no." My anger resurfaced, and I glared up at him. "This whole thing's point was to trick me into drinking from-You-"

"Be quiet for a moment," he snapped. "Dr. Hatake suspected you wouldn't agree as soon as we told you about the new method. So they had me punctured and since it was earlier than usual, I got to bring you these" –he indicated the empty packs- "although the rest will be cold."

I shrugged. "You're a B type, right?"

"Excuse me?"

He was good at hiding his puzzlement. Dissimulated behind what anyone could have taken as a scornful glare, his eyes barely revealed that he hadn't understood. I stared back without flinching. One of the good thing about being a vampire was that you stopped being intimidated by humans. I mean, how scary can sheep get, when you are human? Same here. Although this one was getting pretty close to actually send shivers down my spine.

"Your blood type," I explained. "It's B, right?"

Slowly he nodded, his dark irises lighting as he began to understand the meaning of my question.

"I'm O. That's what they put in the cans. They thought I'd prefer my own blood type."

"And B tastes better," he guessed.

I nodded. "Significantly."

There was a pause. Then Sasuke got to his feet. "I'm afraid I must be going," he said, slightly ironic. "Do I have permission to return tomorrow?"

I shrugged. "It's your time."

"Can I ask you to reconsider?"

"Not today."

He raised an eyebrow. "So you might later?"

I looked away, annoyed by this slip of tongue. "Shut up. Now that I see your side of the story, I have to reconsider. But that's not removing my problem."

"Which is?"

I shook my head, making him sigh. "If you told me, perhaps I could help you fix it."

Again my head shook in denial. "There isn't anything you can do about it. I'll ask the pervert, in any case."

"Why do you call him like that?"

I chuckled, for the first time since we had met. "If you start coming here regularly, I'm sure you'll see what I mean."

Eyebrows rose lightly. Wordless, Sasuke tossed me my keys and went to the door. With a last smirk, he nodded and left.

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**Tell me what you think, tell me what you think, tell me what you think, I order you!**

**Yeah, like I said, reviews are nice. And very good motivators...  
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	3. Instincts die hard

**Sorry for the wait. Exams are coming up and computers are being held hostage again... For the better good. But I think of my dear readers, and so here I am again, with a brand new non-vampire-sparkling chapter. Hooray.**

**Disclaimer: Yeah, Naruto's not mine. But seriously. Naruto would never have been Naruto if Naruto was mine. Feel lucky.**

**Note: I've been warned that I got the bloodtypes wrong for our dear protagonists. I won't tell you the real ones, out of fear you might forget the ones I gave you (they're a little important in the future), but know that I have selfishly decided not to change what I wrote, for several complicated reasons that include but are not limited to synesthesia and too much manga reading. So please bear with me.  
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**Um, anyone curious about why Naru didn't want to bite the teme? Here's an answer. Enjoy.  
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**Instincts Die Hard**

I restrained myself from sighing impatiently and checked my watch for the third time. Dr. Hatake was late, and not just a little. Forcing myself to relax against the wall, I cursed the perverted doctor. Naruto had been right about one thing, although he had omitted several additional negative sides to the silver-haired man. His issues with clocks being a fine example.

The hospital had become a familiar sight in the past week; I now ate most of my meals in the dobe's room, and I even considered living in the sterilized section; it would save me some time.

The office door opened, and Dr. Hatake entered the room with his usual half-smile. "Why Sasuke," he greeted me, as though he were surprised by my very presence. "Good morning."

"Not anymore," I replied dryly. "The clock struck noon ten minutes ago. And I believe you're the one who summoned me here."

"True," he admitted. "But one of my patients needed an urgent examination of her knee. I couldn't just leave her." As I stared at him wordlessly, he sighed. "How are things going with the kit?" he finally asked.

"Nowhere. He said he'd ask you about his 'issues'. But he never gave me a proper answer." My annoyance must have slipped past my tongue, because the pervert smiled.

"He did ask," Hatake assured me.

"And?"

The doctor moved over towards me, and began checking my pulse. "And he's stuck between the present situation and one that he considers worse," he replied, prodding my shoulders and back with professional ease. "So he has to get over one specific problem. Lean down."

"Which is?" I felt him feel each bone of my spine, and turned my head to look up at him.

The crooked grin felt as dangerous as ever. "Back's straight. You exercise often?" I only shrugged, and he sighed. "I won't reveal his secret," he told me, still smiling. "I'd be putting my life on the line. If you look up vampire legends, though, you might find it on your own."

"Are they true then?" I asked, straightening.

"The legends? Thankfully not, for the most part, but some are." His grin widened. On a more business-like tone, he added, "If you do convince him to bite you, you won't become a vampire. We removed the gland containing the transforming poison. But that caused something else to grow in its place." He knelt in front of me, taking out a small object that looked like a padded hammer. Without warning, he proceeded into hitting it lightly against my kneecap. My lower leg lifted halfway, then lowered again under his amused gaze.

"Another gland?"

He nodded, testing the other knee. "The substance isn't lethal, either to humans or vampires, since it'll spread into his body as well if he bites you. I believe it's only injected when its owner digs his fangs into another member of its kind."

I frowned. "So I shouldn't be affected."

"You will, since the gland was supposed to be much smaller than it now is. If you get him to open his mouth wide enough, you'll see it." He stood up again, groaning. "Although I wouldn't advise you to try."

Like that hadn't entered my mind. The dobe was extremely touchy on the subject, and if he learned the pervert was telling me a lot more than he wanted me to know, it would be the end of all negotiations.

"Is that all?" I finally asked.

"I believe it is. You blood looks fine, from what I saw, and you body seems in working order. You may return play with the kit."

Ignoring the last sentence, I silently walked out of the office and strode through the halls at a rapid pace. I was late, and despite my lack of responsibility on the matter, there was no way the dobe was going to ignore this unusual fact.

"You're late."

I hardly bothered to roll my eyes at the too-predictable remark. Naruto sat on his bed, as usual, looking up from one of his numerous mangas. But unlike my preceding visits, the armchair had already been set next to his fridge, where I usually placed it myself, and despite the darkness of the room, I could tell he was relieved.

"Miss me?" I asked with a smirk, hoping I'd manage to shake his focus and avoid any kind of teasing from his part.

"Teme. Did the pervert catch you on your way here?"

"He appointed me to his office."

"Ah." His tone was understanding. "That explains it. I should've warned you."

"Perhaps. Have you eaten yet?"

My eyes had learned to adapt quickly to the dimness of the place, and I saw him roll his eyes as he handed me my platter. "Like I'd start with the nasty stuff." He did a beckoning motion with his hand. Sighing, I handed him the usual blood packs, which he emptied almost instantly. It was amusing how everything suddenly vanished from his conscience as he poured the dark liquid into his mouth. Without further ado, I started attacking my own dinner; steak and broccoli.

I began with the vegetables, letting Naruto reach for one of his blood cans in order to completely satisfy his thirst. "So have you gone to the movies lately?" he asked, opening the aluminum can.

"Should I?" I asked, raising a skeptic eyebrow. Then again, all the pointless conversations he had started had proved to be interesting once you added his nature into the equation.

"I haven't seen a movie in years. Or played video games. My eyes can't take it."

"Too bright?" I guessed, eying my second piece of broccoli with more speculation than the first. After several seconds of pondering, I shoved it into my mouth.

"No, it's the frequency that's too low. The screens blink at me, and I'm sure even you couldn't stand it."

"Same thing for computers then."

He nodded. "Doc explained that my eyes had improved. Although I guessed that by myself. So I switched from video games to books. Even my old gameboy is impossible to play with."

"You realize you're eighteen, right?" I asked, my voice dry.

"A little more, actually."

That caught my interest. "How old are you?"

His smile vanished off his face, replaced with unease. "I'd rather not talk about that."

"You can't be that old," I argued. "You knew about computers and video games. You must have been human in the seventies at earliest."

"Hey, I'm not from the stone age either!" His indignation brought my smirk back. Glancing at me, he soon looked away again. "1984," he finally grumbled.

"You're only seven years older than me," I remarked.

"I know! But people keep on thinking I'm twenty-five instead of eighteen! I don't look that old," he complained.

I rolled my eyes. "Don't you ever try not to make a show?"

"You haven't made comments on George Orwell's novel yet," he snapped back, glaring at me. "Why don't you go ahead and make fun like everyone else?"

"Not worth my time, if people already tried."

He looked away again, staring at the wall. Then back at me. Then away again.

"Spit it out," I finally said, annoyed.

The dobe hesitated. "Are you afraid of me?"

Surprise must have flickered on my face for a split second, before I caught hold of myself and smirked at him. "Not in the least," I assured. "I really see no reason to."

"Of course," he sighed. "Seeing my daily activities; testing, reading, drinking, and working out when I'm not lazy."

"Where do you the workout?"

"They have a room in the sterilized section. Mostly used for re-education. But they put some running stuff and all."

"You know there's a track behind the school, right?"

My question caused him to smile. "Sorry to break it to you, but I haven't walked out of this place since I was bitten and they brought me here."

I stared at him. "Never?"

"You might not notice now, but before you started donating your blood, I had behavior issues. The hospital had blood stocks and stuff, but it didn't suit me; some were simply undrinkable and all, and I was always thirsty. I mean, 24/7."

I hardly listened to his rambling. "You stayed locked up in the same part of a hospital building for seven years?" I looked at him, disbelieving. Even in this light there was no denying his tan, vivid bright blue eyes and golden, messed up hair. No one would willingly admit that out of the two of us he was the vampire. Even the dobe's character didn't fit his nature. In any case, his body seemed to have taken much more sun in than mine; I wouldn't be surprised to see him in a surfer outfit on the Floridian beaches.

"Could I taste that?" he asked, apparently determined to evade the question.

Quizzically, I looked down at the piece of steak I had been about to swallow. I shrugged. "As long as it doesn't end up on my shirt.

Naruto laughed. "Don't worry," he assured me. "My stomach has no limits to what it swallows. Sakura's watch didn't upset it in the least. Tasted awfully bad though."

"Poison?" I asked, handing him my fork.

He took it, eying both object and meat with a strange curiosity. "As nasty as most liquids," was the careless answer.

"The fork is supposed to hold the food," I warned, mocking. "You don't eat it."

He pulled his tongue out at me and cautiously sniffed the piece of meat. "Your blood smells so much better," he said, wrinkling his nose. Nevertheless, he shoved the food into his mouth. I waited, watching him make a face as he chewed. Finally he swallowed, and looked at me with pleading eyes. "Tell me this doesn't meet your standards," he begged. "I'm sure steaks tasted better than this when I was human."

"The hospital's food isn't on the top of my list," I admitted. "Can I take a sip?"

I had been careful to remain casual. The dobe still stared at me. "It's blood," he protested. "Human blood."

"I just want to see what you swallow everyday, idiot." I made sure my face was absolutely smooth but for the slight frown of annoyance I wanted him to see. "I don't recall hearing vampires needed to eat steak once in a while."

"Yeah, but for you it's cannibalism."

"Dobe, I've tasted my own blood hundreds of times."

He didn't answer, observing me in a thoughtful manner. Finally he sighed, handing me the can. "You're curious for weird things, you know."

I shrugged, and, just as he had done with the meat, sniffed the liquid. I could feel his silent gaze bore upon me as I brought the opening to my mouth and tipped the can. Cold liquid trickled past my teeth, into my mouth. It was a strange taste, one that I could somewhat associate to what usually was an addition to dishes I ate. I realized I had tipped the can too far when the liquid suddenly overflowed, sliding from both corners of my mouth.

Naruto threw himself back. I looked up, and he flattened himself against the corner of the wall, in a clear attempt to get as far from me as possible, checking the chain was securely fastened to his wrist. His eyes had switched from lightblue to crimson in an instant, and his fangs slowly slid down against his jaw. "Get back!" he shouted, his voice strained. "Get back, _now_!"

I stood. And grinned malevolently. Despite his efforts, he was unable to look away from my throat. He was trapped; the fridge beside him had lost any kind of interest, and it obviously took him every inch of self-control not to leap at me as I approached.

"Stay back," he growled through gritted teeth. "I can't-I won't-"

"Try not to kill me," I cautioned, ignoring the order. "You said it yourself; neither of us will appreciate it if I die." I took another step, and leaned over him, watching him recoil away from me as I placed both of my hands on the wall he was pressed against. His trembling was visible now. Slowly, I undid the top buttons of my shirt, revealing the skin of my throat. The dobe was unable to look away, and his shaking got even stronger.

"Drink up," I finally snapped. "Dobe."

He slammed me against the wall. If I had any doubts about a vampire's strength, they vanished as my back crashed against the white surface, remaining perfectly still while he pinned my shoulders, trapping my upper body. With a final glare, he leaned down and plunged his teeth into my skin.

The first wave of pain soon vanished as I forced my body to accept this new form of intrusion. I could feel him swallow, fangs sinking deeper when he realized my lack of resistance, pressing his body against mine to get a better hold. Slowly, my head got clearer; the headache that had persisted for several weeks finally began to lessen, then vanished altogether.

I relaxed. This wasn't so bad. I still didn't see what the dobe's gland was supposed to be injecting me, and wondered if it wasn't just morphine. A sense of well-being filled me, and I lowered my eyelids, hoping the 'poison' wouldn't knock me out completely. The dobe seemed to have calmed down as well. His grip on my shoulders had relaxed, mostly there for his own balance.

He shivered, and my body imitated his, feeling him shift into a more comfortable position. Tiredly, I rested my head against his shoulder, waiting for him to finish.

Something was pressing against my inner thigh. Instinctively, I rocked back against it, and I later wondered how I could ever have allowed myself such a lack of control.

Naruto stiffened, and immediately pulled out, shoving himself away. His eyes were still bloodred, and glared at me with a fury I hadn't yet witnessed. "You bastard!" he shouted, shaking this time with rage. "You manipulative asshole! Get out! Now!"

I stared at him, my mind unable to summon any rational thought. I was barely aware that my left shoulder was covered in blood, and didn't care. Then my drowsiness faded, and I finally realized how furious he was. His cheeks had flared crimson, matching his irises, as he glared at me in unconcealed hate. "Get out!" he roared. "And don't ever come back!"

I frowned, but did not say anything, knowing he was in no state to be reasoned. Sighing, I picked up the keys he had tossed, threw them next to the bed and exited the room.

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**And that, my friends, will be explained further in the very first sentence of the next chapter.**

**Review, or I shall bite you.**


	4. If this isn't abuse, what is?

**Last exam's tomorrow, people, after that I'm all yours (though Symbiosis will have to share me with all my other fics ^^ ). For those to whom I haven't replied yet, rest assured, I will, and I always love it when you tell me what you think, so a huge thanks and a big hug! As promised, the fourth chapter... Enjoy.**

**Disclaimer: Me do not own. Naruto, mind you. Symbie's miiine.**

**No warnings here, I think. Don't kill me, they're coming soon.  
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**If this isn't abuse, what is?**

_What has become clearer and clearer, particularly in the_ fin de siècle _years of the twentieth century, is that the novel's power has its source in the sexual implications of the blood exchange between the vampire and his victims..._

I tossed the document down angrily. It was one of _Dracula_'s critics; I had begun reading them more seriously since the 'incident', and was truly beginning to feel cheated. Vampires weren't new to humans; legends concerning bloodsuckers began in Ancient Greece, even though the feat was attributed to demons and evil spirits. The 'true' vampires actually came in the eighteenth century -on a mythical basis, since I had no clue as to when my race came into existence- but did not possess what count Dracula was famous for. The fact that vampires' hormones went wild while feeding came from Bram Stoker's mind alone. Somehow, _somehow_, he had been right. And I was in for some serious complications.

It had taken my infuriated mind a while to calm down. Paradoxically, I remained mostly quiet the entire time. I didn't budge from my bed, didn't react to the doctors' calls and shakes, remaining firmly tucked under my covers. I didn't sleep –I couldn't– and remained still for what later seemed like days, eyes wide open.

Mostly, I felt ashamed. The bastard had pulled the right strings, and had made me loose control over my hunger. He didn't know that the first reason I had moved was to pin him to the ground. The sight of him and his deliciously smelling blood had triggered all of my feeding instincts, and for a moment I had nearly snapped. And instead of helping me get my hunger under control, that godforsaken asshole had insisted. I hated him.

He did not return on the following days. The pervert did, mostly to make sure I was alive. Deciding I wasn't in any state to attack the cleaning crew, he sent some people in to tidy up the mess we had made. The teme's blood was all over the place. Our respective meals had spilled on the floor when I had slammed him against the wall, resulting in a room that could have been taken for a crime scene. And I could hardly say this was much different.

Knowing I'd never ask, the pervert kept me informed, although he never actually referred to what had happened, guessing just how ashamed I was. Sasuke had gone through several examinations, which mostly consisted in blood analysis. Since I had sucked a little more than the excess he had after his daily shots, he had been starting to become slightly short, and had remained in the hospital section so he could rest. I only had to wait a day before the blood packs returned, as fresh as ever. At first I was slightly surprised the teme would still accept to donate his blood, before remembering he didn't have a choice.

"So he settled for shots, then?" I asked the pervert half a week later.

He looked at me, smiling in a warmer fashion than usual. "Glad to hear your voice again," he told me. "How do you feel?"

"Stuffed." It was true. Most of the blood packs I had merely tasted to recall the flavor of the teme's blood, but I wasn't hungry. I had hardly fed at all since the incident, and my stomach hadn't complained yet.

"You drank a lot more than the previous times," the pervert remarked. Damn, he was even careful not to anger me. I really must have been scaring him. "How long do you think you can hold?"

I shrugged. "Dunno. I guess we'll have to wait and see."

He nodded, and ruffled my hair. "Just so you know, kit, that Uchiha hasn't settled for anything at all. He's just waiting for your permission to-" he was cut off as I got to my feet brutally. "Kit, where are you going?"

The door would have been an obvious answer. My anger made me reconsider the limits I had imposed on myself, and for once the other side of the wall didn't seem so frightening. "Where is he?" My voice shook.

The pervert didn't hesitate. "I'll take you to his room."

Instants later we were headed down the hall. I shielded my eyes from my too-bright surroundings, following the pervert by sound alone. Finally he stopped, and led me inside one of the patient's rooms. I heard him order everyone out, and move towards the windows to pull the curtains. As the light dimmed, I looked up. Sasuke was observing me with such composure that I didn't bother to hold back.

"What the hell is _wrong_ with you?" I nearly shouted. "Are you completely suicidal? You've been in bed sending me blood after I nearly killed you, and you _felt_ what happened- you're not a complete idiot, so why do you keep asking me this?"

"What happened is only a minor drawback to a situation that is advantageous to us both." His tone was a dry as usual. I didn't know if it was a good thing. "He told me about the gland," Sasuke added, indicating the pervert. He paused, seeming to hesitate. "And I deduced the rest."

"Everything?" I sounded sick. And half believed I would be.

"Ever heard of Wikipedia?"

"Shit." I was doomed. Curse the net and all the information it contained.

"You aren't affected by sunlight," he then remarked.

I snapped up at him. "Are you kidding? I had to walk all the way here with my fucking eyes closed!"

"You're not dead or anything. Your skin isn't burned." When I didn't answer, he sighed. "I'm willing to let you bite me again." He tugged his collar down slightly, revealing his throat. I took a step back. "Idiot," he breathed. "Look. There isn't any trace of your work."

"I know that." Despite this, I felt slightly relieved. I had never bitten anyone this hard, and had feared I might leave a trace despite my previous experiences.

"You didn't hurt me." His eyes were serious. "I won't mind repeating this."

My face suddenly flushed. "But the-"

"He's most likely as embarrassed as you are, kit," the pervert suddenly cut in. "But you need to get over this. It's amazing to see how easily you're resisting to his smell, for once."

I hadn't realized this. The sweet scent was still here, but relaxed me instead of waking my stomach. This was completely new.

"You know, the way things are going, you might even be able to resume a normal life. Sasuke already agreed to be your roommate-"

"No!" My old panic resurfaced. "I'm not going out there- I'm not fit to-"

The pervert sighed. "No one will force you," he told me. "I shudder to imagine your behavior if we threw you out. But you're free to leave as long as you keep your stomach under control."

I frowned warily. "What are you trying to pull?"

He gave me an offended look. "I only have your best interest at heart. That you think I would attempt to deceive you…I don't think I'll ever get over it."

"What do you want from me?" I asked, ignoring his antics.

He shrugged, and Sasuke answered for him. "It's a two-way deal," he informed me sternly. "In order to stay outside you'll have to feed on me normally. Like a true vampire."

"No way! I nearly killed you last time-"

"Nonsense." Kakashi snorted. "We all know the true reason behind your refusal. Sasuke exposed his point of view on the matter. All we need now is for you to get over it."

I glared at the wall. The doc waited, knowing I wouldn't be able to stand the silence long. I gritted my teeth, trying to keep my mouth closed, but it was useless. "Fine," I finally snapped. "I'll do it."

"That's good to hear." My eyes widened abruptly as the teme suddenly tugged his collar even further down, revealing his too pale throat. I took a step back as he leaned towards me.

"Stay back," I snapped. "I don't want- I want to be in control this time." I gave him an angry look, realizing with horror that Kakashi had left. "If you don't mind."

"That can be arranged." I didn't like that smile. It was worse than the pervert's. Sasuke had gotten out of bed, and was slowly approaching me. Some part of me advised me to back up. Of course, I didn't move.

"We need to cooperate," I told him, doing my best to ignore his smirk. "_You_ need to stop provoking me."

"And you need to control your body," he replied. I flushed. "Not that," he added with a sigh. "You nearly broke my arm last time."

I looked at him, puzzled. "I did?"

He raised his arm, tugging the sleeve back. I winced when my eyes fell upon his skin, darkened by the multiple bruises that had formed there. "My legs are in the same state, thanks to that fridge of yours," he added, lowering his sleeve. "I hadn't expected you to be that strong."

"I told you not to tempt me." My voice came out as a low growl. "I know what I can do."

"No." Sasuke stared at me seriously. "You don't." And with that, he took a knife out of his sleeve and slashed at his throat.

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**NO, Sasuke's not suicidal. Don't worry, dear readers, everything's fine... Well, maybe not for little Naru, but he's immortal so he can deal with it. Sooo...Things are starting to get interesting. You want a next chapter? Review.**


	5. Taming

**The moment you haven't been waiting for... Admit it, people, you're waiting for the smut. It's next chapter. My sincerest appologies.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. I have trouble spelling his name right. So he's not mine.**

**Enjoy.**

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**Taming**

The dobe jerked. I could see his twin blue orbs slowly acquire a reddish tinge as he backed away, gripping the chair located next to the door. The cut I had made wasn't deep, and mostly superficial. Blood slowly emerged from the opening, warm against my skin. Naruto's knuckles went white.

"Get a grip," I snapped angrily. Dr. Hatake had been explicit; the dobe needed my help to clear his mind.

He tried to relax, forcing himself to steady his stance, and loosen his grip on the chair. As far as I could see, he wasn't breathing. "I told you not to do this," he growled at me.

"This is the only way you'll learn control. And I don't see you leaping on me yet."

"You have no idea how hard it is."

I sighed. "Tell me when you're ready."

He waited. Slowly, his figure straightened, and he let go of the chair completely. Hi face was still grim, lips pressed tightly against one another, but he nodded.

"Come here."

Immediately his body tensed. I rolled my eyes. "We're going to let you drink, dobe. But like a civilized person. Now come over." I made sure my voice remained firm. As long as I ordered, it seemed Naruto could obey.

Hesitantly he took a step forward, then another, approaching me with decreasing speed. He stopped a few feet away. "I can't," he said weakly.

"You've managed so far. I'll help you."

Again he advanced, and I caught his shoulders as soon as he was within arms' reach, offering a resistance that he gratefully accepted. Imitating my move, he inched forward, our arms bending as slowly as he required.

Naruto now stood inches away from me, my exposed throat just below his chin. Both hands gripped my shoulders tightly, and his entire body was stiff.

"Breathe," I ordered.

"I'd rather not," he replied softly. "You're too close."

I sighed. "Do it slowly," I advised. "Just lean down…" The blood on my wound was beginning to overflow. A scarlet drop of liquid suddenly slid a few inches down my skin, and the dobe leaned forward. His cold tongue caught the drop, and slid up, licking away the blood. I repressed a shiver as air brushed against the now humid skin, and relaxed my grip on his shoulders. "Slow," I reminded him as his tongue covered my wound. He was trembling when he pressed his lips against the cut, fangs sliding against my skin without piercing it. I lowered my arm, allowing him to grip me more freely. "Go ahead," I ordered. "Smooth…"

I barely felt the ivory sink past my skin. Only when the unmistakable sensation of ease flooded my veins did I realize he must have bitten me. As it was, I relaxed, allowing him to push me against the wall, so we could both stay balanced. He pressed into me, struggling to control his body. I hesitated, than wrapped my left arm around his back, gripping his waist. Feeling his unasked question, I replied, "I'll warn you if it hurts."

His shoulders dropped slightly as he relaxed as well, and I let my eyelids lower. Morphine must definitely be part of what he injected me. In this drugged-like state, a side of my mind was beginning to respond to the pleasurable lump rubbing softly against my inner thigh.

We noticed at the same time. Immediately the dobe stiffened, flushing –I suspected- as far as his cheeks would allow. I hissed as he began pulling out, making him freeze.

"Careful with the teeth," I growled, forcing his head back against my throat. "Warn me when you're done, instead of tearing my neck to shreds."

Meekly he obeyed, easing back into his previous position. Each time he took notice of his lower body I would hiss, forcing him to stay focused on his teeth. Finally he pressed against my shoulder, indicating he'd had enough.

"Move slowly," I ordered. "I want my neck to stay in one piece."

He obeyed, tilting his head as he removed his fangs from my throat. His gaze was unfocused, obviously still clouded by the hormones that circulated through his body. Yet the crimson irises were slowly fading back to their sky blue shade. He looked up at me, still dazed.

"I think I got something."

It was all it took to make me snap.

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**I won't hold you long. Though I do appreciate reviews.**


	6. Had someone told me

**Can I pretend my mind's not totally corrupted and say this is your fault? Please? Okay, fine, I'm responsible for this. You people better like this...**

**Disclaimer: I don't own it. Don't sue me.**

**Warning: Smut starts here. May end here as well, but it's there. Kiddies, get out of here.  
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Had someone told me**

I knew now. Why there was so much difference between packs and throat drinking. Something that couldn't be copied: the taste of human skin. I hadn't been aware of it on my previous attempts; too focused upon the blood, I had failed to realize what had actually settled my stomach. Now I did. The teme's skin was a whole new sensation, which I had finally taken notice of. Part of me wondered how licking his flesh could possibly nourish me, but mostly I didn't care. This was divine.

Feeling the need to share my brilliant discovery, I looked up at my donor. "I think I got something," I informed him.

My words had more effect than expected. Without any warning, he caught my shoulders and pulled me against his overheated chest. I let out a muffled groan as his arms wrapped around my body, vicelike. "Teme," I growled. "What the-"

"Shut up."

I frowned. I could distinctly hear his labored breathing. His heartbeat was too fast as well. Then I realized what was happening. I tried to push myself away, but he wasn't about to let me go. "Teme we've got to warn the doctors," I protested, panicked. "If we're fast enough we can take the virus out-"

His feverish glare stopped me. "I told you," he said sternly, "to shut up. I'm not turning into a vampire, dobe." With that he pulled me back against him, gluing our bodies together.

The renewed contact made me realize my state. I flushed violently, hating the bastard. So he knew I was hard, there was no need to –no pun intended- rub it in. said thoughts caused my cheeks to heat up even more; I was now certain they had resumed a human temperature.

I then realized something else. I was aroused. Fine. But I wasn't alone. The teme buried his face in my shoulder, warming my skin with his breath. "Sa-Sasuke," I forced out, trying my best not to respond to the slow rocking of his hips. "Don't-" I shut up as his grip tightened on my back and waist.

"Just" –his voice was slightly breathless- "for a moment. Stay. Please."

I hesitated, surprised by his plea. His cockiness had left him, and his hold on me had taken a desperate measure. Unsure, I remained still. I knew the poison had caused this reaction, and somehow the effects hadn't been immediate. And I was responsible. Despite my guilt and embarrassment, I still couldn't keep my hormones in check; almost against my will, my hips began following Sasuke's movements, and I let out a small moan.

The latter, however unintended, caused the bastard to push me back. I didn't get his intention until my legs hit the edge of his bed. I tumbled back, and he climbed on top of me, gazing straight into my eyes. Dammit, the smirk was back.

"Glad to see you've given up on self-denial," he said, sliding his hand between my legs.

I glared, and moved back on the bed. Nonchalantly he followed, until the wall indicated me that I wouldn't go any further. "I thought you were straight," I protested, trying to avoid contact with his prodding fingers.

"Where on Earth did you hear that?" The tone was mocking, and his hand once more dived towards my inner thigh, making me moan.

"M-Most people are straight," I managed to say. "I'm straight."

He snorted. "From the way you're acting, I would have guessed otherwise."

"Shut…Shut up te-" I moaned again as his hands gripped my arousal through the thin cotton pants that covered my lower body. "Teme."

"For a straight guy, you sure seem to be enjoying this," he scoffed. "And just for the record" –he leaned closer to me- "I was straight until now."

I blinked, confused. "Shouldn't the poison have worn off?" Inwardly I complimented myself for making it through an entire sentence without moaning,

The teme frowned at me, and removed his hand. I almost sighed in relief before the bastard forced my legs apart, settling between them as he pressed his body against mine once more. I gripped his shoulders and moaned, panting as he pressed our hips together. Noticing he was also dressed with the hospital clothing, I grabbed the edges of his blouse and tugged. The buttons popped out of place, revealing his pale, muscular chest.

"Nice," I managed to say between pants. "How…Did you…Fuck!" I swore as a particularly strong thrust sent stars before my eyes.

"I swim," he replied. Despite his smirk, his voice was as breathless as mine. "Now let's see yours, after seven years of staying clustered inside a hospital. He removed my blouse more smoothly than I had done, discarding it, along with his, on the floor. "Not bad," he admitted. The rocking had stopped, and his hands slid down my chest.

"What do you think I do all day?" I asked, grinning tiredly. "Tests, reading and exercising. I remember telling you."

He ignored my last sentence, and raised an eyebrow. "You can read?"

I pushed myself up abruptly, causing him to lose his balance, and flipped him over. Hovering over him, I grinned again. "Learn respect," I told him.

He kicked my feet, making me fall on top of him, and forced us back to our first position. "Learn how to wrestle," he replied. His hands trapped mine, and I closed my eyes as he leaned over me, refusing to look at his victorious smirk.

So that I was completely taken off guard when his lips crashed against mine. The contact electrified me. His arousal became even harder against my thigh, and I instinctively reached for the front of his pants. He cupped my face gently as I tugged the cotton fabric down. Before I could do the same with his boxers, he detached his body from mine and observed me with an amused look.

I stared back. "Not my fault if your pants can't contain you," I said in a mocking voice.

"Speak for yourself," he replied, reaching for my own. Hooking my boxers along with the cotton fabric, he tugged everything down and stared at the heated flesh. "Were you like this before you were bitten? Because if not, I'm going to complain."

"Like you have anything to complain about." Boldly I tugged on his boxers, ad saw that my assumptions had been correct.

Smirking once more, the bastard shrugged, and pressed himself against me, slamming our lips together once more. My body jerked, and I shivered uncontrollably as our arousals brushed against each other. The renewed friction made me lose control over my body. With each thrust I jerked upwards to meet Sasuke's hips, unable to restrain myself. I was approaching climax, and when Sasuke broke off of our kiss I panted into his ear. "Te..Teme, I'm gonna-" The bastard silenced me with an ultimate thrust. My instincts took over, and I bit deep into his collarbone as I came. The soft gasp I got in response was clearly unintended, and I felt his seed spill over my lower belly as he buried his face into my neck once more.

We remained still for several seconds, panting. Then I turned towards the bastard.

"Teme?"

"What?"

"I want out."

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**Liked it? Liked it? Tell me you liked it. This is all you're getting tonight; I need to work on the rest before catches up with me...**


	7. Crossing

**I'm late, I'm late! Sorry, dear readers, I swear it wasn't my fault! ...Okay, it was, but I have excuses. For anyone interested in my daily life, I've been to a marriage this weekend, and it was great; we had a three-forks-and-knives kind of dinner (really good too), with the huge advantage of getting to eat the local goat cheese, since we were in the countryside. Yum. **

**Also, I'm starting my intensive English week, and I'm actually learning stuff -I have to admit I never knew the grammar rules hidden behind what I wrote- so y'all wish me luck, even though technically I'm still on holidays.**

**Note: the rant's supposed to fill in the empty space, seeing the chapter's so short. But do enjoy.**

**Disclaimer: Naruto's not mine. Sasuke's not either.  
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**Crossing**

The dobe didn't let go of my hand. He had forced me to warn his perverted doctor that we were both leaving, and we were now standing in the locker room that separated the sterilized section from the rest of the hospital.

"Go wash," I ordered, handing him some of my clothes. "And brush your teeth; you need to take the blood scent out of your mouth."

He took the garments, frowning. "Why do you keep your stuff here?"

"Dr. Hatake gave me permission. These showers offer more privacy than the ones they have in the dorms. Since I had to come here twice a day in any case, I at least got to use this advantage."

He shrugged, and went to the closest shower. I washed as well, walking out to find him brushing his teeth, looking unpleased. "Hidz' ahun assy," he told me.

"Learn how to speak, dobe," was my stern reply. "That jumble you just blurted doesn't mean anything."

He rinsed his mouth thoroughly, and looked up again, "This thing tastes like shit," he said, wrinkling his nose. "I've been wanting to let someone know."

Snorting, I took the toothpaste, and began brushing my own teeth. I could feel the dobe's eyes on me as he waited, nervous.

"These feel weird," he mumbled, indicating his clothes. I glanced at him. The black shirt was tight against his chest, revealing his build. His jeans were lighter than those I wore, looser as well, since I suspected he wouldn't enjoy having his legs bound tightly just yet. Shrugging, I rinsed my mouth.

"It's decent," I told him. "The girl are going to come running after you."

He grinned weakly. "I'm scared," he admitted. "What if-"

"Don't you even _start_ with 'what if's'," I growled. Then a thought occurred. "Aren't your eyes hurting?"

"A little," he said, shrugging. "Artificial light doesn't hurt as bad. And I brought sunglasses."

"Dr. Hatake warned my teachers, so you could come to class," I smirked as I added, "And I tell you right now I'm not giving you a choice."

He shrugged. "What's the course?"

"French."

Naruto stared at me. "You take French? In a medical school?"

"I don't want to stay here forever, dobe. I need to learn foreign languages if I want to travel. Now come on." I opened the door and pushed him out, stopping when he brought a hand up to his face, groaning. "What is it?"

"Smells," he mumbled, slowly uncovering his nose. "Wasn't ready for it. Let's go."

We walked down the halls at a rapid pace, soon crossing the hospital-college limit. I led him directly to our class, which was situated on the third floor. We entered the classroom last, and professor Iruka approached us. "Naruto, welcome. Dr. Hatake just called." To my classmates, he added, "Naruto has been home schooled in the past seven years, due to health problems. I hope you'll help him get accustomed to the university life."

They nodded, and I noticed with some amusement that some of the girls had already started checking the dobe over. Naruto flushed, mumbled thanks, and went to sit down, as far away from the windows as he could afford. I slid into the chair beside him, and glanced to the other side of the room. I caught Neji's eye and motioned my query. He raised an eyebrow and then pulled the curtains, cutting out most of the sunlight. Next to me, the dobe sighed in relief.

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**Review, and hop on to the next chappie kiddies...**


	8. Ice Prince

**We're getting close to the good part. Now things start getting a little bit more interesting, as new characters step into the play. Have fun reading, ladies (I'm supposing most of you are girls; if there's a male out there, I beg your forgiveness and gladly welcome you to the dark side...).**

**Disclaimer: You saw what last chapter said. Same here.  
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Ice Prince**

We walked out of class an hour later, and I found myself completely relaxed. After my transformation, learning had suddenly become much easier, and this had been an occasion where it paid off. Sasuke seemed torn between annoyance and amusement, the latter well dissimulated, and he hit the back of my head lightly as we walked out of class. "You could have warned me you were fluent in French," he told me with a half scowl. "Anything else you'd like me to know?"

"I also learned Spanish and German," I replied, shrugging. "And Hebrew."

"Hebrew?"

"I wanted to read the original version of the Bible," I said defensively.

He smirked. "To see if you still had a chance of going to Heaven?"

"Shut up, teme!" I glanced around, trying to make sure no one had heard.

He sighed. "We aren't in what you'd call a regular college. Your being a vampire won't attract attention the way you think it will. There are other…mutants inside this school." To prove his point, he pointed at the guy who had pulled the curtains for me. "Hyuuga Neji," he said. "His entire clan possesses the Byakugan. It gives them a 360 degree X-ray vision. And don't accuse him of looking through people's clothes and other nonsense; they have a strict code of honor."

"What about you?" I asked.

"My grades got me a scholarship," he replied indifferently. "My blood donations helped. And then I began producing too much blood. Even normal people end up mutating here."

His last remark spread a sudden surge of guilt into my body. I had never expected I'd affect his body. That was why I hadn't wanted to bite anyone, fearing the doctors hadn't removed the main gland completely. But it had all been in vain.

"Kit! Kitsune!"

The sudden roar that echoed through the hall made me jump in alarm. I spun around, immediately identifying a tall hooded figure as the source of the noise. The guy stopped a few feet away.

"Move, Uchiha, I need to get to the kit." The voice was familiar. Hood was removed, and memories brutally rushed to my brain.

"Kiba!" Why my own exclamation brought more stares than his was a puzzle. Perhaps they were used to his uproars. Inuzuka Kiba, my best buddy since kindergarten, grinned at me as I rushed towards him with the firm intention of squeezing Hell and Earth out of his guts. But something froze me right on track.

Simultaneously we brought a hand to our nose, both groaning in distaste. I had never come across such an aggressive smell. Instincts I hadn't been aware of until now suddenly flared into life, demanding I get away from Kiba, who glared at me in shock and disgust.

"What's with the stench?" he growled, frowning angrily.

"Speak for yourself," I snapped back. "My nose's a lot more sensitive than before; you could've had the decency to wash before you came."

He glared harder. "I showered this morning, kit. You smell like-"

"I washed an hour ago," I cut in before he could make an accusation.

He shook his head. "I wasn't going to say that. You really got bit did you?"

I nodded slowly. "I'm a vampire now." Exited female whispers echoed around us, but I kept my attention on Kiba. "What about you?"

"Werewolf," he said, grinning. "I got bit just after you fainted."

I frowned. "I never saw you in the hospital."

"They never got me there, idiot. I transformed immediately, and when I turned back I was pretty deep inside the mountains. I was almost dead when some campers found me." He made a face. "I got transferred to Switzerland, since they're specialized in werewolves there; they have packs and all. And a private forest for us too. We can feed on animals there."

I nodded silently, not wanting to tell the crowd animals had never satisfied me. Kiba had been luckier than me, in a way.

"I decided to come back here for college, since I didn't hear about you at all. But you were mighty hard to find."

"I'm here though aren't I?" Slowly I approached him, forcing my nose to ignore the threatening smell. He grinned, and clapped his hand into mine, giving me a firm handshake.

"Good to see you again, kit," he told me. "Even if you smell pure evil and all."

"Says you." I turned around, realizing Sasuke hadn't moved. "Teme!" I called. "It won't kill you to come over and say hello!"

"It might, actually," Kiba corrected me. "He's allergic to dogs. And I seem to be particularly dangerous for Mr. Ice Prince." He sighed, dropping an arm on my shoulders as Sasuke gave him an unreadable look. "He can't go anywhere near me."

"Ice Prince?" I repeated, seeing the teme roll his eyes and begin to walk away.

"That's how they call him around here." The drawling voice was unmistakable. I barely needed to turn before Nara Shikamaru, the laziest genius on Earth entered my sight. With a happy cry I jumped towards him, giving him the hug I had first intended for Kiba.

"Naruto, my brain requires oxygen to work," he complained. "I use it sometimes."

"Shika, I knew they'd let you in here!"

"He keeps an eye on me," Kiba explained. "Around the full moon. Makes sure I'm locked up before twilight."

"You can't control yourself?" At least I had that on the werewolf.

"Not with people around. Even Shika almost got bitten."

"Yeah. He's like an oversized puppy playing with a new toy. Way too energetic."

I laughed. So Kiba also had a suicidal buddy at his side to help him. "So now your two best friends are a werewolf and a vampire. Good luck in the future. Aren't we like, mutual enemies or something?"

"So that's the reason you smell so bad," Kiba said, clapping my back. "Come on, we'll introduce you to people."

The rest of the week went by smoothly, more or less. I quickly adapted myself to my classes, the noises, the smells (especially Kiba's) and the random habits of students on campus. I didn't feed during the day; Sasuke ad warned me on the first night that we should probably try to avoid making a scene, and it didn't take me long to figure out why.

One reason was that many students seemed to find my being a vampire extraordinarily cool, boys and girls alike. I was asked several times to reveal my fangs, and when I explained they'd only come out when I was about to feed, I was immediately proposed to try biting some of my fellow classmates, and received a few desperate letters begging me to turn their authors to the 'dark side'. No one paid attention to the fact I was as venomous as a cat.

The reason behind the nickname Kiba had given the teme quickly revealed itself to be the most accurate description one could make of him on campus. To put things in simple words, Uchiha Sasuke was rich, smart, hot, and he knew it. Which, according to female belief, made him even hotter. So you could argue with the 'Ice' part of the name, until you considered his attitude.

Put simply, Uchiha Sasuke was the most frigid bit of ice I had ever witnessed. You could never guess how relaxed he could be if you observed him on campus; even I had trouble remembering once we reached the end of the day. It was mesmerizing.

He was scornful, mostly, and stubbornly ignorant of rather large amount of females chasing his dark figure. He barely spoke to anyone, onyx eyes as hard as stone, and seemed completely closed to the rest of the world.

On the other hand, the guy had his own fanclub. And I figured the fact could help explain some of his behavior; he couldn't open his mouth without catching the attention of every female in a ten-foot radius, and he was the ideal pastime conversation subject of most girls on campus.

I had identified three main groups of females, two being considerably more important than the third. First on the list, of course, was the fanclub. Most dangerous, in my opinion. To them, the teme was God Descended on Earth, and no one –not even me- should come within three feet of his divine self, touch any of his material possessions, or speak to him. These girls were mad. They snapped pictures of him whenever they could, often giving me repetitive headaches. They were never far, following his every word and movement. Kiba said, and I agreed, that they were very much akin to some kind of mad sect.

The second group was more lenient, only rule being there were no rules. A girl could kidnap the teme, lock him in the janitor's closet and have her way with him and the others would only cheer her on. They did take pictures as well, but not exclusively of Sasuke; I was included in some of the snapshots, so I agreed with myself to give them some slack.

The third group was the one who still had ounces of humanity and common sense left. They tried to get on the bastard's good side, without pressing him too much, and acted like civilized people. What kept me from befriending them was that the 'leader' of the group was none other than Haruno Sakura, one of the interns I had accidentally bitten not so long ago. I was uneasy with her; she didn't speak to me much. But there was no way she could have forgotten me. And I was fairly certain she was the one who used to take out Sasuke's blood.

In any case, the teme's reaction to all the attention was identical for all three groups; he ignored them. I was quick to realize how relaxed he had been around me. It wasn't the case anywhere else; a cold, indifferent mask covered his face during the entire day, and if his eyes ever came to rest upon someone, they would unmistakably fill undissimulated contempt. I mean, sure, he had also acted arrogant with me, and still did, but it was mostly meant to piss me off –and it was effective, I assure you- but this was different. It seemed that, to the teme, no one was good enough to deserve his attention. Three persons made an exception to this rule; Neji, whose clan and rigid behavior gave him enough status to earn the Uchiha's respect; Shika, whose genius could simply not be ignored, and me, although it was a lot harder to spot.

To the untrained eye, the subtle difference between the disdainful glares he handed most people and the half-exasperated, half-mocking looks he addressed me was inexistent. Yet, as Shika had pointed out, I was the only one who could make the teme smile. Well, more smirk than smile, but for the Uchiha, even that was an achievement.

And, unlike any of his adulators, I had managed to get into the teme's pants. It was a small victory I savored over the girls. A sweet little revenge against their continuous pestering. What they had been craving for since the first moment they had seen him, I had obtained without really trying. And I was fairly certain Sasuke thought along the same lines.

One could say that it wasn't a true relationship, and I'd never argue. There was no love between us; I couldn't control my hormones, and he didn't mind, so we had both shrugged the subject off and lost any sense of modesty with each other. I had asked him why he didn't pick one of the girls in order to have sex once in a while, out of curiosity. His answer had been clear.

"They'd think there was some kind of meaning behind it. Girls need to have a romantic aspect to their relationships." And that had been that.

Not that I really minded. After his explanation, things had cleared in my mind. We did this for physical reason. It was much easier to consider sex the same way humans treated video games and evening movies; a regular, pleasurable activity that usually didn't leave any afterthoughts.

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**Review! It's always encouraging! Also, read the following note:**

**NOTE: Next chapter is purely smut. I'm not in a real smutty mood right now, and am quite willing to take it out -in that case you'll have two Naruto POV chaps in a row. I would like your opinion on this, pretty please. Otherwise I'll be making the choices...  
**


	9. Settling in

**DON'T KILL ME! I forbid you. You know what happens to authors when you murder them (even if it's completely justified)? They disappear from the net and never ever come back. So you've been warned.**

**So, after the long wait (did I ever say I disliked holidays?), here are four new chappies just for you. Read on, enjoy, but take note of the warnings. **

**Oh, and of course, for all of those who reviewed, a great, big, huge thanks, and I'm really sorry for the wait. I felt very guilty at night, but I didn't have my computer with me. Sooooorry...**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. I promise.**

**Warning: Since I was lazy (back in the days this fic was written), and this is a transition chap, I put some smut in it. Kiddies, go away, this is not for you. And if you're wondering whether or not it's yaoi, then obviously you haven't read the rest of the fic.**

**Again, enjoy.  
**

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Settling in

I gripped the edges of the sink, feeling the cold metal dig into my back, and hissed. Beneath me, the dobe removed his lips from my shaft and looked up at me with questioning eyes.

"Keep going," I ordered through gritted teeth. It was becoming extremely hard not to moan, but I had managed so far. Smiling mischievously, he lowered his head once more, and pressed his mouth against the tip of my erection. Parting his lips, he let his tongue poke out, licking the slit lightly. This time, my body betrayed me, and jerked forward. I swore, and felt him smile against my arousal.

In the past few days, I had convinced him that we could have sex without necessarily making him feed first. He usually did it at night, now, or late in the evening. At those times, his venom was enough to knock me out until morning. But mostly he bit me while I slept. My body, alas, was unable to keep up with his tireless one, making him decide to feed at times where I couldn't possibly get aroused. But just like any young adult, my inner thigh demanded attention on a regular basis. Hence the present situation.

Naruto licked the sides of my shaft, deliberately slow. I felt my knuckles turn white on either side of me, and stared down at the dobe. His eyes were clouded, slightly, but he remained focused on his task. Sucking my tip in order to remove the precum that had formed there, he took me in suddenly, making me release my first moan. Triumphant, he let his tongue begin its wonderful job. It danced playfully, mischievously, around my erection, with a mind-numbing dexterity that sent waves of pleasure straight into my rocking body. I thrust into his mouth, welcoming the friction his hand offered me. He pumped my erection, following my movements, making me jerk even more violently than before. I could feel my arousal pulsing inside his mouth, inching towards release.

His tongue slowed, and he suddenly pushed me further in. I felt the tip of my erection hit the back of the warm cavern of his mouth, and he looked up at me. I understood at once.

"D-dobe," I let out. "Don't-" But it was too late. With an expert flick of his tongue, he made my body jerk forward again, diving into his throat. Immediately I felt his muscles tighten around my member, instinctively attempting to swallow. Grabbing my hips he pushed me forward, forcing me deeper inside his mouth. I moaned, letting go of the sink in order to seize his scalp and thrust forward. His lips reached the base of my shaft, and his throat made several swallowing motions, tightening around my member and bringing me dangerously close to release. Looking down, I saw that his eyes, ocean blue mere seconds ago, were now completely crimson. His fangs slid on either side of my shaft, and he suddenly pulled back, more brutally than I expected.

He barely had the time to rise a few inches before biting down into my waist. The sensation of his throat, the sudden contact with the cool air, and the feeling of his teeth sinking into my side sent me over the edge. I came onto his lower belly, clutching his head and pressing it firmly against my skin.

He kept drinking as I relaxed, panting, and finally pulled out of my skin, licking his lips appreciatively

"Don't know what I like best," he said cheerfully. "Your blood or-" He didn't finish, looking at his belly.

I hit him over the head. "Dobe," I sighed, feeling a little light-headed. "Go wash that off."

Snorting, he obeyed, returning as soon as he was clean. For some reason, Naruto the vampire disliked water, and more than once I had wondered if his race hadn't been crossed with cats.

He'd adapted himself, that was for sure. He still hated sunny days, but apart from that he hardly differed from a normal student anymore. His initial wariness had gradually dimmed, replaced with what I could only assume was what his personality had been like back when he'd been human.

The shrill ring of the doorbell brought my reflections to an abrupt halt, and I didn't bother to dissimulate a sigh as Kiba's voice resonated through the apartment. "Kit! Hurry up or you guys are gonna be late!"

The mutt didn't come in, and the dobe rushed to the door on one foot, strapping a shoe to the one dangling comically into the air. "I'm comin', I'm comin'," he growled, stopping only to grab his bag. I eyed his figure swiftly, making sure no trace of our recent activities remained, but there was none. He winked at me. "I'll see you for lunch, teme."

I rolled my eyes, before somberly noting Kiba must've done the exact same thing. "Didn't think you'd increase your number of meals," the shaggy guy remarked, his voice dry. "You'll become fat if you don't watch yourself."

"Lay off," Naruto groaned. "The teme only eats veggies; there's no way I can get fat with that kind of blood. And I don't see why I shouldn't be allowed three meals a day, like everybody else."

A laugh erupted before the blond shouted the usual farewells and closed the door, but I still heard Kiba's next remark. "I'm sure you only do it to watch the girl squeal and boil with jealousy," he accused, and Naruto's low chuckle did nothing to repress my own smirk.

Mechanically I zipped my own pants back up, and went to retrieve the notebooks he required for the day. Neji Hyuuga would be waiting for me in front of our first period class, and lateness usually resulted in inquiries I had no wish to answer. Sighing, I made sure the dobe had turned every light off before leaving the apartment, and inwardly smirked. The day promised to be good.

"Now would be a good time to make some room, Inuzuka." Both Naruto and Kiba jumped. The ice-cold voice was not mine, for once. Though with the werewolf, I couldn't possibly have gotten that close. Neji's pale eyes narrowed as his mouth closed.

The brunet turned. "That's my seat," he growled. "You and the Ice Lord can go somewhere else. The Kit's mine during the day, assholes."

"I'm willing to remove the veto on this occasion, dog boy," Neji replied in his soft, dangerous voice. "Go play while I'm not looking."

Kiba's eyes widened comically, and he immediately got to his feet. I could almost have snorted -except it would have been deadly to do so here- at the sudden change. Keeping Naruto to himself didn't seem at the top of Kiba's list any longer. "Sorry, Kit," he sighed to the blond. "But there are some occasions a guy can't miss." He darted off before the startled Naruto could even summon a proper reply.

Neji eyed the werewolf darkly. I knew how much he despised allowing the shaggy brunet to visit his sister, but a deal was a deal. He nodded to me, and I approached. "Gets easier every time," I remarked in a cynically amused voice.

"I'd enjoy it more if we didn't have to trade my sister for your pet," Neji sighed in reply.

The second chair flipped over. With a swiftness I hadn't witnessed in weeks, Naruto seized the light-eyed man by the collar, picking him off his feet before the cafeteria echoed with the loud, metallic clank that ensued. The blue orbs had darkened with fury.

"What _pet_?" the vampire demanded.

I felt my blood turn cold. "Naruto, put him down." On a usual basis, I would never have opened my mouth. Neji could and did fight his own battles, and any intervention of my part would not be regarded as anything else then a direct affront to his honor. In addition, the place's female density was far too high to allow me to be careless with my mouth. But with Naruto, I wasn't ready to take risks. For all I knew him, I hadn't yet gotten the chance to test his temper. His hunger, yes. And it was already enough.

"It's funny you're offended." Oddly enough, Neji only seemed slightly upset. "Am I wrong by saying you've been entertaining the same idea with me?" I felt my eyes narrow. So Naruto _had_ been looking at Neji in a funny manner. Scornful. Hn. Figured. "Simply because I spend my day with your friend, I'm automatically his dog." He spat the last word. "Why should you be any different? He shelters you, feeds you, and from what I've just heard he also gets to order you around."

Oh, boy. Here we go.

Naruto glared. "Doesn't mean I listen to him," he growled.

Neji raised an amused eyebrow. "I never said you were a _good_ pet," he pointed out.

Luckily for Hyuuga, listening to this pointless conversation hadn't been my main goal. I had taken the chitchat time to strategically approach the two antagonizing freaks of nature, and was therefore able to place a warning hand on Naruto's shoulder before the blond snapped completely and threw his captive across the admittedly large room. I placed my mouth next to his ear.

"I apologize," I murmured. "Put him down. We need to talk."

Confusion was one effective weapon. Especially on the dobe. I watched, slightly awed, as Naruto blinked in surprise, and nearly dropped Neji as he turned back to me. "Why do you need to apologize?" he asked. "And what's the matter?" Fury had vanished, replaced by puzzlement and concern. Perhaps my voice had sounded too grave. I rolled my eyes.

"I'll apologize if I want, dobe," I stated in a snappy tone. I wasn't about to admit in front of a crowd consisting of nearly half the college's students that I had begun the 'pet' pun. "Sit down."

He obeyed, still looking slightly worried. Neji readjusted his collar wordlessly, and dropped into the first chair he met. I installed myself into the seat opposite to the one Kiba had used, and let my mind travel back to the conversation we'd been having prior to the little scene. Waiting for the crowd to chatter away, I then smirked, and turned towards the blond. "We've been wondering," I told Naruto as Neji silently began removing the necessary items out of his bag, "how much of what the legends say are true. For instance, what's your resistance to garlic?"

Naruto wailed.

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**I know, I don't deserve any reviews for making you wait, and you totally agree with me. And in any case, you have three chapters to go. I won't hold you here. Go.**


	10. One song

**And hullo again! Finally the interesting stuff's coming out... I won't hold you long;**

**Disclaimer: Me not own Naru-chan. Or his story. Or his friends. Or U2.  
**

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One Song

"_...  
I have scaled these city walls  
These city walls  
Only to be with you_

_But I still haven't found what I'm looking for..."_

I sighed, relaxing to the lyrics. I had pushed the volume as far as it would go, allowing the music to become my sole reality, and even then, it was soft to my ears.

Sasuke was rarely absent; when he was, I allowed myself to do the one thing he couldn't tolerate. Music. Well, when I say didn't tolerate, I mean not as loud as I did. So I took advantage of my present solitude, and sent U2 blaring inside the dorm room we shared.

"_I have kissed honey lips  
Felt the healing in her fingertips  
It burned like a fire  
This burning desire"_

Thedoor suddenly opened, causing me to swear. I hadn't expected him to be back so soon. Grabbing the remote, I hurriedly lowered the volume enough so that I could hear his quiet voice.

"The entire floor is shaking, dobe," he informed me with an annoyed voice. "I don't understand how your ears can stand this."

I stuck my tongue out at him, keeping part of my mind on the lyrics. "I thought I still had an hour left," I protested. Which reminded me I had promised him I'd prepare him his meal when he got back. He furnished mine, after all. Trying to hide my guilty look, I rushed to the kitchen, and did not see the teme freeze.

"Since you're early, I'll even let you chose- Hey, I was listening to that!" Sasuke had stopped the stereo. From what I could hear, he was taking the CD out. "It's U2," I supplied. "I'm surprised an emo guy like you never heard about it." I was about to open the fridge when I heard something snap.

I rushed back to the living room, just in time to see the shattered pieces of my CD fall to the floor.

"You bastard!" I shouted, outraged. "That thing cost me thirty bucks!"

The ice-cold glare should have warned me something wasn't right. "It's bullshit," he replied in the tone he usually reserved for insistent fangirls. "You should be thanking me."

"_Thanking_?" I repeated, refusing to believe my ears. "You just broke one of my favorite CDs! What the hell are you to thank for?"

"You are not listening to this here." For some reason, the teme was just as furious as I was. His voice was controlled, his face smooth, but his entire body was tense, and both of his fists were curled up and white. Not that I cared.

"I'll do what the fuck I want!" I roared. "You're not the only one living here, you asshole; this place is my home as much as yours!"

"The stereo's mine," he snapped back. "And if you keep annoying me you're not going to be using it at all."

I glared at him, furious and confused. "What the hell is wrong with you? You don't own _me_, teme! I don't need your permission for everything I do here-" A soft knock on the door interrupted me. Fuming, I turned heels and went to open.

"Naruto? Is everything alright?"

I blinked, taken off guard. Sakura looked up at me with worried eyes. "Could be better," I grumbled. Trying to take out any gruff tone out of my voice, I added, "What's up?"

"Dr. Hatake sent me. He told me you mentioned Sasuke getting dizzy from blood loss at times, and proposed to give you a second donor to fill up for the moments you get too thirsty." She resolutely met my gaze. "I volunteered."

The last time I had bitten her was obviously still fresh in her mind. But her eyes told me she wanted to get over it. I smiled, and opened my mouth to articulate my reply. Sasuke beat me to it.

"He doesn't need you," a voice behind me informed her icily. "I furnish enough blood for us both." The bastard glared at the pink-haired intern with such poison that she took a step back.

I shoved him. "Leave her alone," I growled. "This wasn't Sakura's idea; the pervert must have forced it on her."

Sasuke replied something that made both Sakura and me turn scarlet. Except I was flushing from anger and not embarrassment. I'd had it.

Grabbing the woman by the wrist, and intending to pull her inside, I found my path blocked by the Uchiha, who barred the doorway. He received no warning whatsoever.

I slammed my foot into his side, and sent him flying. Not bothering to look where he'd fallen once I heard the satisfying crash, I pulled Sakura again, and led her to my room. We entered, and I locked the door behind us. She stared at me, scared and confused. "Naruto, don't you think he's hurt?"

"Don't worry," I growled, pulling out a sports bag, in which I began throwing all my stuff. "If he dies, I'll make sure we celebrate it every year."

A small smile crept upon her face, but it was soon replaced by concern. "Are you alright?" she asked again.

"I'll be better once we both get out of here." Suddenly, I hesitated. "Sakura? Would you mind if I stayed at your place for a while?"

She shrugged. "I've got an entire apartment to myself. Of course you can stay, but I'm not sure he'll like it."

"That bastard can go to hell and rot, for all I care," I spat. "How can you still worry about him after what he said?"

She blushed. "He didn't mean it. He was just trying to be rude enough to make me leave."

"He insulted you!" I cried, outraged. "This whole fight had nothing to do with you-"

"I was there," she said with a shrug. "I was there at the precise moment where he didn't want any witnesses."

I growled, refusing to face the logic. "You arrived at the perfect moment," I told her. She blushed again, and I finished packing. "Let's go."

Exiting the room, I saw that the bastard had recovered from his previous blow. He stood at the end of the hall, blocking the way to the front door.

"Out of the way, asshole," I growled threateningly.

He smirked. "Make me."

"You really want to go out the window?"

My threat had no effect on him. "You won't pull the same stunt twice," he informed me icily, lowering slightly on his legs in order to increase his balance.

I glared at him, and Sakura decided to step in. "You're being stupid," she snapped. "Can't you just stop fighting and act like civilized people?"

Sasuke ignored her. "Hiding behind a woman?" he voiced, taunting. "Pretty lame, if you ask me."

I rolled my eyes, furious, and didn't move. His gaze told me he wanted me to approach, and I was damned if I followed his wishes. So when a flushed Sakura took a step back in front of me, an idea suddenly popped into my head.

Wrapping an arm around her shoulders, I pulled her back against my chest, and, without taking my eyes off the bastard, slowly lowered my head. Seeing him stiffen, I assumed my irises had turned crimson, and I felt my fangs slide down against Sakura's skin, making her tense. Pressing her shoulder softly with my hand, I opened my mouth and bit down smoothly, careful not to hurt her. She relaxed, realizing I was now capable of controlling myself, and I observed the bastard.

He looked as though I had kicked him again. His cold, arrogant mask had been wiped off, and his eyes clearly showed pain. If I hadn't been so furious, the sight of him would had hurt to watch. But nothing else filled me but the sweet, poisonous feeling of obtaining revenge.

I pulled out soon enough, licking off the blood I had left on Sakura's throat, and led her forward. Sasuke remained perfectly still, and did not even seem to notice us as we passed. Without a word, we walked out of the apartment, and I slammed the door shut as soon as we'd crossed the threshold.

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**If I was mean, I'd put a cliffie right here, and leave you to agony. But I have a debt to repay, and in any case I'm not cruel. Review, since I'm nice, and read on!**


	11. Dreams in Hell

**Ha. Ha ha ha. I'm evil. I love myself. Suffer, little Uchiha, suffer from your own foolishness! Muahahaha... And people wonder why Itachi's my favorite character. So, anyways, for those of you who are still courageously following this plot to its end, here's a new chap just for you!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own these little idiots below. But I still make them to what I want to.  
**

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Dreams in Hell

Time had stopped. I couldn't move, couldn't even think. The closing sound of the front door echoed repeatedly into my ears, leaving room for nothing else. It couldn't be. It couldn't be. It couldn't-

I took a step back. The closed door towered over me, imperious and terrifying. I could almost hear it's chant.

_He's gone._

_He's gone, and he won't come back._

_He's gone, and he will not stay alone._

_He's gone, and this is your fault._

I knew all of that. I knew it.

I didn't eat. Naruto had only taken out what he'd wanted to prepare, and I couldn't bring myself to touch it. Anything else, for that matter. The apartment still screamed his presence -the mess certainly hadn't been mine- assuring me he'd return sooner or later. Maybe this evening. Maybe he had forgotten something. Maybe he'd be hungry. So I left everything as it was. And waited.

Naruto never came.

One week later, Neji dragged me to the hospital. To run tests, he reasoned, because according to him, something definitely wasn't normal.

I had stopped sleeping. I wasn't even tired. On the first night I had spent countless hours staring up at the ceiling, desperate to find oblivion. But my wish had been ignored, and dawn had come before I could even think of closing my eyes.

On the second evening, I'd given up hope; after two hours of inactivity, my body had finally put its foot down, and the rest of the night had been spent completing any unfinished work I needed to attend to. After that, I had spent all of my free time at the gyms. There wasn't any other way to get my mind off unpleasant thoughts. And both Neji and Shikamaru had eventually caught on to what had happened.

Once the tests were made and analyzed, I learned two things; firstly, my blood cells had stopped their maddened multiplication, resuming both a normal quantity and production rate. Thing I hadn't realized at all, since I had lost the habit of daily punctions -seeing Naruto had bit me mostly at night. Secondly, my body was beginning to acquire some vampire characteristics.

This caused me to undergo several additional tests, which led to the conclusion that the dobe had somehow fueled part of his abilities to me.

"Your blood became immune to the virus," Dr Hatake informed me. "You'll never be a vampire. But you don't need to sleep anymore, and you've stopped aging. You're immortal." He grinned at me. "Though you can still die if you hurt yourself, so don't start getting too rash. You also kept most of your human characteristics, so don't go fighting against any of the real vamps, because you won't stand a chance." He ruffled my hair.

"Does this affect the blood-cell production?" Neji asked.

But the pervert shook his head. "This must be more of a psychological problem."

I hadn't returned to the hospital since.

Nights, I learned, were long. Every evening I would brace myself, knowing that even through the most exhausting workout, I would still have time to think.

I had guessed Naruto's intentions a split-second before his eyes had turned crimson. I'd expected myself to become furious. Jealous. To lung out at Sakura and shove her away. To throw Naruto out or return the kick he'd given me. But when his fangs had disappeared into her flesh, the only thing that I was able to feel was the crashing sentiment of betrayal.

I had been unable to look away. Naruto had kept his crimson gaze fixed upon me the entire time, and not once had his eyes shown the slightest hint of remorse. Now, his fulminating glare accompanied me everywhere I went.

"Uchiha." The low growl was distant, but out of duty Kiba kept himself from getting any closer. I turned. "What did you do to the kit?" he asked furiously.

I blinked. Then turned away.

"Uchiha!" The roar startled most surrounding students, and I heard the tall mutt take several steps towards me. "Don't force me to come and get you! Naruto's gone completely berserk, you ass! What did you do to him?"

I turned to this. "He's in withdrawal?" I asked the werewolf.

"No, asshole, he's just acting like the jerk he turns into every time he fights with someone. The only person he's acting decently with is Sakura, and that's only because he needs to feed." I almost winced. "So what did you do to him?" Kiba asked, growling.

"He's the one who left," I remarked. "I didn't kick him out. Don't blame me for what he did."

"Don't fuck with me."The werewolf advanced again, and my breath suddenly rasped. "He left because of something, and I'm pretty sure you're that reason."

"So if you think I'm such a bastard, why are you running after me?" I asked, making sure my voice remained frigid despite the fact that I barely breathed. "He doesn't need me anymore, does he?"

The taller man glared. His dark brown eyes were pure fury, but he didn't speak immediately. When he opened his mouth, his voice was cool. "You're right. I was going to ask you to fix this, but maybe you're not what he needs." He stepped back, and I resisted the urge to cough as air returned to my lungs. "Forget this." Turning heels, he left the same way he had come, and I resumed my own path mechanically.

I couldn't allow myself to think. Naruto wasn't part of what I had to take care of anymore. Nothing was, really. If I had any luck, I wouldn't hear from him again.

The cool air felt somewhat refreshing against my damp skin. I had been running for hours, without feeling nearly as tired as I should have been as a normal human. The sky was dark, although the moon sometimes poked out from behind the clouds, bathing the land in silver. It was a soothing view. The streets were quiet, dead. The only sounds came from my feet hitting the concrete, and the sudden ringing of my cellphone startled me. Checking the time, I frowned. It was almost three in the morning.

"_Uchiha, you better tell me you're indoors_." Shikamaru's voice was not the usual slow drawl I had been accustomed to. The tone was urgent, breathless, and slightly worrying. "_Where are you_?"

"Downtown," I answered, puzzled. "Did something happen? Why are you awake?"

His curse startled me even more. "_You idiot_," he breathed. "_If you want to run outside, at least try to make an effort and stay indoors on full moons! Especially after pissing Kiba off during the day_!"

I stopped dead. "He broke out?"

"_He went through the fucking wall_," Shikamaru snapped. "_No one got hurt yet, since he seemed to have an intended target, but we need to find you before he does. Where are you_?"

I looked around, suddenly alert. "Mayflower street," I read. But there was no way I was staying where I was. Especially when I heard the howl. Swearing, I snapped the phone shut and began to run.

Fear. I hadn't felt that in a long time, I realized. I had completely forgotten how mind-numbing the sensation was. Instinct took over, and my legs seemed to move on their own accord as I dashed across the street.

Stay in the main avenue, or slide into the smaller streets? The werewolf undoubtedly saw much better than I did; would the thinner alley be a sufficient disadvantage to keep him away from me?

I didn't know, but I had to choose; soon he'd be close enough. Every second his furious howl got closer, and I could almost tell exactly how far he was.

I ran, and part of my brain deemed that the streets were, indeed, the safest idea. At least, he wouldn't be able to charge at me there. How big was he anyways?

_Don't look back._

Light dimmed almost immediately as I turned left, twisting my path deeper and deeper into the moonlit maze of the city's streets. I had no idea of where I was going, and didn't exactly care. Thankful that at least I didn't tire from the excessive use of my legs, I kept running full speed, wondering how long I was going to hold.

I slammed into him. My throat let out a strangled rasp and my breath died, just as the creature above me released its first dangerous growl. My insides were on fire. I looked up into the golden eyes that stared at me, seeing no trace of remote humanity inside the molten orbs. Kiba snarled.

He was huge; the alley wasn't big, but it still was something to note that his shoulders were almost trapped by the walls on either side of him. He had to be almost six feet high up to the shoulder, and nearly twice as long. There wasn't anything human left in his features; what I had in front of me was merely a very big, very angry and bloodthirsty wolf.

Immaculate fangs appeared as the enormous jaw opened, and my feet decided to move again. I had to breathe. Darting back and to the side, I gulped air, ignoring the burn as it entered my lungs, and kept running. If the furious snarl was any indication, I was going to hurt a lot more in a couple of seconds.

I tumbled back onto one of the big streets and swore. But there was no changing directions now, now when Kiba was so close behind me. And yet now he wouldn't have the tight passages slowing him down.

For the second time of the night, my body slammed into another, more humanoid one this time. I really needed to look where I was going. Looking up, I let my eyes widen.

"He's coming," Naruto growled. He wasn't looking at me. Azure orbs did not detach themselves from the street I had just exited, and his entire body was alert.

The howl shook the air before the werewolf appeared. My ears and instinct both screamed, and I did my best to shut them down as the blond stepped forward and pushed me behind him. The street became silent again, and a cub-sized paw emerged from the darkness. Kiba stepped forward, ear pressed flat against his skull, his eyes never leaving me. He stopped, however, nostrils flaring when Naruto's scent reached him. And snarled at the vampire.

The roar that followed froze me down to the bone. There wasn't -there couldn't be- anything human, in that noise. A sound like nothing I had ever heard, hateful and murderously aggressive. And it came from Naruto.

His eyes weren't blue anymore. They weren't even red. Both irises had turned pitch black, and gave no sign that they recognized the werewolf for who it was. He stood, half crouching, with every inch of his body clearly stating that he intended to go for the kill.

"Naruto." My voice, albeit a little breathless, was dry. The blond blinked, and Kiba leaped.

I nearly tripped over the sidewalk as I stepped back, watching Naruto collide without any restraint with the gigantic wolf, groaning under sheer weight. Even with his inhuman strength, Kiba had to be heavy. But reason was back.

"Get out of here!" he shouted at me. "I can't hold him-" The left paw swooshed, and Naruto's feet were swept from underneath him. He fell, and the werewolf charged.

"NO!"

I was thrown into the air. The giant paw slammed into my side, knocking out both my wind and balance, and lifted my off the ground before my body began soaring on its own. For a couple of seconds, I was flying, no longer attached to any kind of material support, and then I heard a deafening crash on my right.

I landed on the concrete, hard. Gasping as my leg and arm fired up in pain, I ordered my throbbing head to rise a few inches so that I could see what was going on. And stared.

Naruto had thrown -literally thrown- the werewolf into the closest wall. The structure had almost collapsed with the impact, and yet neither the vampire nor the wolf seemed to notice. Well, Kiba was hardly in any state to worry about that particular detail anyways. The blond was holding his throat with a single hand, pinning him against the deforming surface. Even from where I was, I could tell the irises were midnight black again. I had to find my voice.

"Dobe!" Heh. Even in the state I was in, it still carried far enough. "Don't do something you'll regret, you dumbass!"

The blond head turned towards me. Then back to Kiba. The frown appeared again, but the irises were resuming their usual shade. I sighed, wincing ever so slightly as I did so. This was going to hurt hard and long if I knew anything.

A gunshot tore the air, and Naruto leaped back. Glancing towards the source of the sudden noise, I noticed several cars parked a few yards away from us. Not too far, either. And the shooter...I squinted, but soon recognized the figure. It was Shikamaru.

Kiba's body became limp, and the werewolf collapsed upon the concrete as the humans drew near. Naruto, however, hurried to my side. He swore.

"Teme, can you hear me?" He sounded human again. Crouching, he placed a careful hand over my shoulder, and gently pushed me onto my back. I coughed, and several droplets of blood escaped my mouth. Biting his lip, the blond helped me sit up, azure eyes still dark. "Are you alright?"

"Take his shirt off," Shikamaru advised, heading towards the werewolf. "He must have some fur left on him."

The idiot didn't bother to remove it the normal way, tearing at the cloth vigorously and ripping it to shreds. But on the other hand, I could breathe normally again. "Are you okay?" he asked again. "Answer me, bastard."

I handed him a cool stare. My lungs were better, but the same couldn't be said for the rest of my body; the side on which I had landed burned dangerously, and I wouldn't have been surprised to learn several of my bones had broken.

"So you're talking to me again?" I asked, making sure my voice was as composed as usual.

He stared at me, obviously shocked. The bottom lip whitened as he pressed harder onto it, and he didn't answer, swiftly picking me up instead. He headed back towards Shikamaru, halting far enough to keep me from rasping out again, and holding me as though I weighted no more than a kitten.

"Shika?" he called out, his voice suddenly soft.

The genius didn't move. He stood perfectly still on Kiba's immobile side, staring fixedly at the fur edging out from between his fingers.

"Is he alright?" Naruto asked. "I didn't mean to-"

"You did what you had to," came the blank answer. "And so did I. He'll be fine."

"What did you shoot him?"

This time the other man moved, and held up a large syringe. "Paralyzing substance," he answered tiredly. "Ask Haruno for the precise contents."

The blond nodded. "Will you be okay?"

Apparently Shikamaru was just as surprised as I was to hear the question. He blinked, and turned around fully. "Why wouldn't I be?" he asked, confused. "I didn't get hurt-"

"You shot him," Naruto replied, serious. "Even if he doesn't remember, it won't change what happened." He posed his gaze on the limp mass. "I didn't want to hurt him either," he added softly.

But Shikamaru shook his head, somber. "You were protecting your human," he stated matter-of-factly. "And he knows what to expect from me; in those kinds of situations, where he's threatening someone, I can't allow myself to hesitate."

"But that doesn't mean you like it," the blond protested.

The genius snorted. "No, it doesn't," he admitted. "But I think we all agree that it's nicer if we're both feeling a little guilty, Kiba hasn't bitten anyone and Sasuke is alive, and still human."

Naruto nodded condescendingly. "Fine. But I'm still apologizing tomorrow."

"You do that." Shikamaru yawned. "Not that I'm exhausted, but would you mind helping us put him on the truck? He's as heavy as hell, and he won't change back before dawn. I wouldn't mind getting a few hours of sleep."

I felt the body stiffen slightly as Naruto hesitated. He looked at me. "Can you wait for a second?" he asked me. I shrugged -in a more mental than physical fashion- and he quickly glanced around until he spotted a bench, upon which he put me, before returning towards Shikamaru.

I couldn't make out the contents of their discussion, though I guessed the dobe was inquiring on whether the other human had come alone. But apparently the others were merely waiting for the genius to signal that everything was safe; as soon as he did so, they emerged from the vehicles and all proceeded into lifting and carrying the werewolf to the biggest pickup of the lot. Naruto was doing the most impressive part of the work; he groaned and complained about the weight, but in truth seemed to have little difficulty carrying nearly all of Kiba's mass over his shoulder. The others merely helped with the dangling limbs.

I took the time to inspect the range of my injuries. It wasn't as bad as I had feared. My right arm, leg and waist were all ripped from the concrete -wearing shorts hadn't been the best idea of the night, though certainly not the worst- but at least my ribcage was intact. I hadn't twisted anything either. However, my right leg assured me, even as I sat, that there was no way I was walking on it before it got taken care of properly. The interior throbbed and burned, and I hoped that even if the bone was broken, nothing had been moved to an improper location.

"It's broken."

My head snapped up. Naruto had just managed to cross the distance separating the truck from my bench in a soundless, astonishing speed. And suddenly I couldn't breathe anymore.

"Your shirt!" Nara scolded as he climbed into his seat. "You really want to kill him?"

Blue eyes widened, and the blond removed the article of clothing meekly before throwing it over his shoulder, and leaned forward to pick me up.

"Don't."

He froze, puzzled. "Don't what?"

"I don't want your help," I stated icily. "I don't want to owe you anything."

"You're going to freeze to death if I leave you here," he replied, suddenly annoyed. "Aren't we past that stupid fight? You almost died, Sasuke! What is wrong with you?"

"So to get you to speak to me again I need to go through near-death experiences," I stated cynically. "I'll remember that." I didn't know exactly why I was getting so angry. But it seemed as though waking from a month's worth of slumber, my fury was finally bubbling up to my lips. "Get lost."

Naruto stared at me, his face oddly blank. Then he sighed, and despite my recoiling figure, lifted me into his arms and began to walk. "You're not in any condition to argue," he informed me in a soft, controlled voice. "And the lack of sleep must be getting to your head. It took me some time to adapt too."

"Let me go," I growled. "I don't want to hear your bullshit, I don't want to see you either, I didn't need you to come after me-"

"Idiot." He froze, and I froze. Because the irises weren't blue anymore. The voice was suddenly trembling, Naruto's control dimming with every word. "Stop talking. I'm not in a good mood tonight, and I don't want us to get in another fight, not over something that's bound to be a stupid reason. So shut the fuck up."

"Let go of me," I snapped.

He looked away angrily, and began walking again. "No."

"Let go of me!" My voice was strained. He didn't react, and I did the only thing my brain managed to think of; gripping his shoulder and neck, I lifted my body the few inches necessary to lean over and sink my teeth into his collarbone.

To my utmost surprise, the dobe crumbled to the ground and screamed.

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**Well, honestly, what would you guys have done? The teme's weird... Enjoyed reading? Tell me about it! I like this chapter, I want to know if you did too...Pretty please?**


	12. Waking

**So, we begin with a flashback...You have been warned. Um, there's something unrelated I have to tell you guys after this chapter's over. Wait for it.**

**Disclaimer: No, no, definitely no, Naruto's not mine. You think kids would be allowed to watch if he was?  
**

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Waking

Fear. It's not something you experience often, in real life. You get scared. Or startled, maybe. But you're rarely afraid. So that when real fear actually pops out of the blue and right upon you, you never react the way you should. Like here, for instance. My legs simply wouldn't listen to instinct and bail.

I could almost smell my sweating skin. It was that simple. I was paralyzed, and instead of doing the right thing that was running away without thinking, my body had almost completely shut down, while my brain overloaded with every detail it could take in.

The hand reaching for my throat, for instance. The arm belonging to it, and the man itself. He didn't _look_ intimidating; his skin was pale, his body thin, thinner than anyone might recommend. I was broader, and just as tall as the guy. He had no weapon, nothing to threaten me. Except he was scary as hell.

"You shouldn't be wandering after lights-out," he remarked in a quiet, polite voice. "This area isn't safe at all." Didn't sound scary, either. Almost nice. I shivered involuntarily as his fingers slid under my chin, and he released as humorless chuckle. "You're afraid, aren't you?"

Part of me wondered what he wanted. He didn't seem interested in money, or the ipod located in my pocket, to which my very visible headphones were still attached, or the cellphone I was bound to possess. And he didn't look like a rapist, either, though the light handling made me warier than I would have liked. No, if I had to put a name to it, the guy looked like he was starving. But I didn't have any food.

"Kit!"

The roar caused the guy to turn, and as though delivered from a spell, my legs became alive again. I didn't stop to think, and ran for it.

I couldn't hear him follow, but darted past Kiba and kept running, intent on getting as far away from the man as I could. Kiba raced after me, and didn't wait for us to stop to ask, "Where were you? I've been looking for you for ages! Who was that guy?"

"How am I supposed to know?" I snapped back. "Some guy who wanted-" I didn't finish, but it wasn't because I hadn't known what I wanted to say. The huge wolf standing in front of us was enough to make anyone speechless.

"No freaking way," Kiba breathed next to me, watching with a horrified fascination as the beast in front of us released a dangerous growl. "Go back." He stepped away from the wolf. "Let's go back."

"The guy," I panted, my previous terror resurfacing in the blink of an eye. "He's still-"

"Go!" Kiba pulled me back, just before the huge creature released a heart-numbing howl. And my legs were running again. Running, away from one fear, straight back to the first; running under the silver moonlight, running through a nightmare. And all I could do was to pray with all my might I would wake up.

"Kit! Where are you going?" Kiba's voice was already distant. The same need, the same instinct that had driven me away from him before was overpowering me again, instructing me to ignore the call behind me and keep on advancing.

And there he was again. Inspecting me with regretful, but unflinching eyes. I slowed, and walked straight up to him, just like the last time. This time, however, he didn't linger. "I'm sorry," he stated darkly. "But I can't allow you to leave." Seizing my jaw, he pushed my head to the side, and tore my shirt's collar in order to access my skin. I couldn't move, couldn't make a sound. But my mind was screaming.

"Naruto!" Kiba roared. "Kit, don't just-" The end of his sentence was drowned by the second roar of the night. The wolf was coming, and he was coming fast.

Red eyes suddenly flashed before me, and I cast my attention back to my captor, startled by the sudden shade. The crimson orbs were unreal, shinning like twin drops of blood in the midst of a snow-colored face. An odd sight, my numbing brain concluded.

"I'm sorry."

It was the last thing I heard before my world erupted in pain.

The hand flew across my face and sent me to the ground, snapping me out of my daze. I blinked, shaking from the flashback, its images still vivid in my mind. The pain was still there, too. I looked up. And there he was again. This wasn't just a memory. It was real. I recoiled away from the vampire, too scared to even scream.

"Dobe, snap out of it." The dry voice brought me back down to earth. Fully, this time. I blinked, and froze, watching dazedly as Sasuke dragged himself to my side and glared. "What is wrong with you?"

His irises were black, not red. But just to make sure, I removed the dark bangs from his face and pulled his head closer to my eyes. He sighed.

"What's the matter, idiot?"

"You-" My throat was suddenly dry. "You look like-" I stopped, shaking. Fear was still flowing inside my veins, irrational and powerful as hell.

"You need to calm down," he ordered me sternly. "Quit hallucinating."

I nodded, feverishly doing my best to calm my nerves. Memory was returning. "You bit me," I stated blankly.

He handed me any icy glare. "You deserved it," he shot back. I didn't answer, and he sat down next to me with a small groan. "What did you see?"

I looked down, hand involuntarily reaching for the side of my neck. The skin was still humid and slightly caved where the teme's teeth had been, but there was no wound. "The night I got bit," I mumbled quietly.

He didn't say anything for a while. I looked up again, and frowned when I realized his face had darkened, eyes darting jerkily from side to side as he seemed to add some unknown pieces up.

"You never told me who bit you," he finally remarked.

I turned my head away from him again. "It's not something I remember."

"Liar." I looked up, and saw that his gaze was hard. "You know now. Why did I scare you?"

"You didn't scare me."

"You thought I was the one who had bitten you."

"You did bite me, you asshole."

"You took me for a vampire."

"No, I didn't!"

"You said I looked like someone."

"Shut up!" I buried my face into my arms. "Just shut up! I don't want to talk about him!"

"So it was a guy?" the bastard insisted.

"Stop it!" My voice strained, and I knew my entire body was curling up. "Stop talking! Stop it!"

The teme breathed in, no doubt in order to calm his own temper. "Naruto, I need to know," he said in composed, unusually soft voice. "Please." The last word almost died in his throat, and I slowly lifted my head, aware the only thing keeping me from trembling were the tight hold my arms had on the rest of my body.

Sasuke observed me with a expression I didn't recognize. When he spoke, his voice was careful. "The fear you're feeling isn't rational."

"I'm not afraid."

"You're behaving like you're afraid," he stated calmly. There wasn't any scorn in his voice, which was thoroughly odd. "Why?"

"I don't know." My eyes lowered again, though not completely. "Ever since I first saw him," I articulated, hating the slight waver in my voice. "I-" And then I had to stop, because my shaking had gotten so bad my teeth actually clicked as I tried to speak. I shook my head, desperate to stop the conversation. "Don't ask," I pleaded. "Just- please..."

Sasuke sighed. "We should go back," he told me, mercifully closing the subject.

I nodded, suddenly appeased. "You can't walk with that leg," I remarked. "Get on my back."

He handed me a dark look of contempt, which I faced with ease, before offering my back to his view, and waiting. Eventually he huffed, and wrapped his arms around my neck. I got back to my feet, and began heading towards the hospital. At the human pace I was using, we'd be there in half an hour.

I didn't comment on his sudden change of heart. His resentment seemed to have left him completely, something for which I was grateful, although I was slightly nervous about what I'd done to make it disappear. Something had replaced it, that was for sure.

I took the apartment's keys from Sasuke's lazy hand -if the pervert hadn't told me he'd stopped sleeping, I'd half believe the teme was on the edge of oblivion- and entered the lobby quietly. The place hadn't changed much. Actually, it hadn't changed at all; it seemed as though Sasuke had left anything I had moved before leaving untouched, and the messy living room looked like I had only left a couple of hours ago. The kitchen was cleaner, but looked absolutely dead. I had plucked the teme onto his bed before heading towards the fridge in order to get him something to eat, and the emptiness that met me provoked a flood of guilt to burn down my spine. I soon returned to his bedroom.

"You haven't been eating," I accused.

He handed me a worn-out look. "I haven't been buying food," he corrected. "Hence why the fridge is empty."

I examined him. He looked like a ragged doll; muddy, bloody, if not a little lifeless. But he wasn't thinner than I remembered.

"Shikamaru and Neji have been taking care of my diet," he finally sighed. "Don't worry about it."

He wasn't looking at me. His voice was flat, and I could tell he was restraining his emotions. I bit my lower lip.

"I'm sorry I worried you," I muttered.

He didn't move. "You haven't worried me, idiot."

"I didn't want to hurt you."

"I said I was fine."

"Sakura's an O-type."

He froze, for a split-second. Then shrugged. "I know that."

"I didn't do anything with her."

"That's not my problem."

"We're just friends."

"Obviously." For the first time, his voice carried a hint of sarcasm.

I felt offended. "Don't you believe me?"

His head finally turned, and he stared at me straight into the eye. "You're hard to believe."

He was hurt. More than the the complete empty, ghost-like state of his apartment, more than the drastic changes his body had suffered right after my departure, it was the new lack of trust that unraveled exactly how much I had betrayed him. I fell back against the wall and sank to the ground, slowly.

"Don't cry," he snapped.

"You're saying this like I could," I replied morosely. He didn't reply, and I stared into empty space. Even more quietly, I added, "Sometimes I wish I would."

Another stretch of silence followed. And I found myself wondering if Sasuke could still cry, despite his changes.

"I acted like a jerk."

My head snapped up again, allowing my eyes to widen up completely. Sasuke glared at the wall. "I'm not saying I deserved what I got," he added in a half-growl. "But I should have explained you what-" Sighing angrily, he tossed his head to the side, as though trying to dislodge an unpleasant thought. "Open the first drawer of my desk," he finally articulated.

I blinked, and gave him a confused look. But he didn't acknowledge me, and waited. So I got to my feet and headed to the large desk, pulling back the highest drawer. Inside was-

"I'm not going to apologize," Sasuke stated icily, as though daring me to argue. His voice was hard, but his eyes flickered with something that definitely wasn't anger. I picked up the brand new CD with hesitant hands, then looked up at the bastard.

"Sasuke?"

"What?" he snapped.

I grinned softly. "Thanks."

He didn't answer immediately. But when he spoke, his voice was gruff. "It was yours. Now put it away."

Not keen on seeing it destroyed again I obeyed, and soon returned to his room, slightly worried by the fact that he hadn't budged an inch. Unsure of what to do, I sat down next to him, and waited for him to break the silence.

"My brother listened to that music," he finally muttered.

I nodded slowly. I had come to deduce he wasn't at all a fan of the group. But even so, his reaction to the music had been a little too extreme for it to be mere dislike. Did he hate his sibling?

"He was a ten years older than me."

I frowned. "Was?"

Sasuke nodded. "He was a genius," he added, and this time I noted a twinge of childish envy inside his voice. "Everyone admired him."

I suddenly understood. The reaction. It had been denial. Denial of memories he'd wanted to forget. "He's dead?" I asked, making sure my voice was as gentle as I could make it.

But Sasuke shook his head. "He left eight years ago," he replied darkly.

"Oh." Well, my theory still worked, didn't it? "And you never saw him again?"

"No."

He was silent again. But this time, strangely, he wasn't glaring at air. Instead, the pitch black irises were boring into me with an intensity that was slightly unnerving. I shuddered involuntarily, and, all of a sudden, I felt for the first time exactly how cold my blood was.

Eight years. And Sasuke's reaction after my panic attack. Eight fucking years. Bloody hell, that meant-

"Sasuke-" I choked out his name, feeling the old turmoil rise out from my belly again. It couldn't be. Not like this, not-

But the bastard nodded, once. "My brother was a vampire," he stated in a dead voice. "He massacred our entire clan when he transformed, and vanished into thin air after he was done." He looked up at my terrified figure. "I'm also starting to believe he's the one that bit you."

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**Yeah...and that's all until Halloween. Sorry folks, but I have to work this year. Like, seriously. On another hand, there's another story (a oneshot that's too long, and so will probably be a two-shot) I've been working on when I was supposed to be working on this (but I have a short attention span, and I need to distract myself by writing something else), which is called the Joys of Parenthood (for the moment) and is inspired from a true story. If (when) I finish it, you'll be strongly encouraged to read it. It's a lot less depressing than this. I think.**

**Oh, and I still don't mind getting reviews, fair readers. Type on.  
**


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